Recyclable
by QueenoftheUndergrowth
Summary: Recyclable: to alter or adapt for new use without changing the essential form or nature... Something has altered Tak's personality, and it's up to Zim to save her. What Zim discovers will surely shock him to his core... But the humans come back all the time, it can't solely be restricted to Earth... After all, the soul can be a resilient thing. Sequel to Clairvoyance.
1. Prologue

**A/N: hello readers. This is a new fanfiction of mine. It takes place after my other fanfiction 'Clairvoyance'. I hate to say this, but you may want to read that beforehand as certain elements to this may not make a lot of sense to you. That story is 275,303 words long (though including author's notes, which are pure waffle) and has twenty-five chapters. If you wish not to read that, then I hope you enjoy what this story has in store. This is just a prologue for now. **

**Disclaimer: I'm only going to do this once. I did it with every upload in my last story and it got kind of annoying, but I did it as ritual. But not this time. Well, here it goes... I do not own the rights to Invader Zim. I don't own the cover image either. It's usage will make sense later on. **

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><p>...<p>

How had she been reduced to this? This was no life for an Invader, or even a janitorial drone… Where had it all gone wrong?

Oh, she knew when, and there _he _was with a whole planet to destroy while she was living in this undignified manner.

The chains that bound her buzzed with terrifying electricity. The more she struggled against her restraints, then the more they buzzed, giving her a painful shot that run the course of her body. The perimeter of her holding cage rippled with a current, making sure that her escape was an impossible feat.

It seemed that the universe conspired against her every attempt at achieving her goal. Even her whole race turned against her now. At least she had finally made a name for herself. Was it not better to be resented by your own people than to be a 'nobody'? A nameless Irken to be forever lost in the records? The very thought made her feel cold and hollow.

There were even rumours that she was more hated than exile Zim. Worse at that, she was more insane than he was now- a defect. Nonsense. Zim was a fool, driven by an inane lust for destruction in the hopes of appealing to his Tallest… And he actually believed that they cared, that he really mattered… _That he was a real Invader!_

Her 'lust' had reason; an achievable goal if none dared defy her. _  
><em>  
>Zim was senseless, and a complete idiot. But she was something else. She almost had the Earth in her grasp. She could almost smell it the day that sweet magma gushed out of the Earth's core and sprinkled her face. How she had laughed that day. But then Zim had gotten in her way, and those insubordinate humans. The boy had proven himself useful later, however...<p>

She would have made a fine Invader, one who would have served her Empire well and made her Tallest proud. Alas, this was to be her new destiny now. Life never works out the way you want it.

_Tak_ was a fighter, a prized asset that the Tallest would be lucky to have in their service. But they lost their chance.

They even took her, the most loyal confidant she had through this whole wretched journey. She rebuilt her herself, the day she found her lying on the planet Dirt; a decrepit old SIR whom she restored and improved. Irken engineering at its finest was still no match for her skills.

MiMi, with all her capabilities, couldn't even outsmart the Empire in the end.

"MiMi…" her helpless cry echoed through the void of the cell and back to her with longing.

Now she felt it again, that burning desire taking over her entire body until she was ablaze. Desire and rage at its purest, joined together to unleash a festering madness upon those who dared got in its way. No bounds could keep this madness locked away for long… It would escape eventually, and then we would _see_ who was truly mad.

Tak couldn't be restrained forever. She would show them all. They would pay for this injustice.

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><p><strong>AN: what has driven Tak to madness, a character who in my opinion always showed stability of mind, poise and grace. Unlike Zim. Maybe it was Zim, or something else...**

**This is short for now, but future chapters will be longer than this.**

**I've had the idea for this story for a long time, way back in chapter five of my first story. I often told myself that if I ever got through Clairvoyance, that maybe I'd write it, eventually. To those of you who read my first story, you may recall that I never planned to do a sequel in the end. I still don't think Clairvoyance needs one, it stands well on its own. But truth be told I was at a loss with an original story I was writing, and hit a block, but I need to keep the creative juices of my mind flowing. This is what I ended up with. I may even write an update to my other story 'Dousing the Flames' as one guest reviewer asked. I don't see why not. I'm free now because I'm longer writing boring college reports. **

**Until the next update, which will possibly be Saturday. I posted the prologue of my first story on a Tuesday too. How fitting.**


	2. Filthy Human Lies

**A/N: Here is chapter two. I enjoyed writing this one. It is based on real life events. Okay, it's not...**

**Thank you to my reviewers. Your comments mean a lot to me :)**

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><p>...<p>

The podium turned dark as the lights went out. A hush spread across the crowd, except from the occasional cough or murmur of excitement. After all this was the great and powerful Peter (he-no) Fraudstein. A famous psychic across the city, and tickets to his shows were selling out fast. First come first served basis…

Smoke spread across the stage and over the crowd, eliciting cries from the helpless people below. Then lasers shot out from turrets located on the left and right of the stage, manned by technicians who were hidden from view. Lasers _and _smoke machines, this show has it all… Let's see if some high and mighty alien leaders in a galaxy far, far away can beat that.

The speakers buzzed to life with static, deafening many ears in the crowd. Next, a shadowy figure emerged from the smoke while two lasers shot above his head. There was a cry from the left of the stage as a laser hit a technician in the eye, but the crowd still cheered.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, all rise for the great and powerful Peter Fraudstein! Yeah! Let me hear you scream! Whoo… I hate my life…"

Finally, Peter (he-no) Fraudstein materialized in full view, pulling off a sparkly cape as he spread his arms wide. The crowd went wild. He was a middle-aged man with smooth hair and a brilliant tan to boot.

"My many fans, you all look so beautiful tonight. Free tickets to next month's show to the guy or girl who screams the loudest!"

"WHOOHOO! I LOVE YOU PETER-HE-NO-FRUADSTIEN! YOU ROCK! YEAH, YOU OL' ROCKY ROCK… GOOD OL' HUMAN ROCK… guy_. _SIGN MY UNIFORM!"

The small green creature who had screamed those words of praise had risen to his chair, standing over the crowd and receiving odd looks. Some were even a little jealous. The types who have went to every one of Peter (he-no) Fraudstein's shows the past year.

To his right, an even smaller creature glowered up at him, looking around subconsciously at the rest of the crowd. Even above the crowd's shouting, he managed to make himself heard.

"Skoodge," he whispered."What on _Irk_ are you doing?"

"Ah, I believe we have a winner. Free tickets for the little green, stout man with the yellow bouffant!"

"Hey… that's me… I…I won? Zim, I won! Hoohaa!" Skoodge pumped his fists in.

Two tickets came hurling Skoodge's way, nearly taking his wig clean off. One still chopped off the top of his wig (the tickets were that sharp). But gullible Skoodge pulled through.

The chubby Irken held his tickets up in his hands, beaming so wide. Not only short and ugly, but a winner too. A _loud _winner.

His fellow crowd members seethed in anger as he continued to hold up his tickets. Zim finally pulled him down from his chair, hiding his face away with embarrassment.

The shorter Irken was glaring at him now, and Skoodge looked very confused.

"What's wrong, Zim? You're not jealous are you? It's okay because there are two tickets! We both get to go to Peter-he-no-Fraudstein's show next month! Whoo –"

Zim slapped him across the mouth so he couldn't cheer anymore. Enough was enough.

"Shut your noise tube, Skoodge. I only came to this stupid show to see this… _Peter-_he-no-Fraudstein for myself. Such lies, he's nothing but a regular showman. Even the great Professor _Membrane _discredited this fraud! Yet people still pay to see his shows. I'm afraid the Professor only heightened his fame… Dib wasn't too impressed. The boy's gone _crazy_, and keeps bringing up a story about a 'Chickenfoot'. I'm afraid he's losing it."

"So… you _won't _be coming to next month's show? They're front row seats! Oh, wait, no, they're not. We'll be even further back than we are now!"

"No! You can take GIR instead… I wouldn't even see this man for _free _due to all his lies! He makes real psychics like me look bad!"

"So why did you _pay_ to see him now?"

Zim stopped short as he realised his mistake. "Silence! I'm here on a mission, to expose this man for the fraud he is. If parting with cash helps me in that, then I see no flaw in my philosophy. I've changed my whole life on the practices this man mocks! But don't worry, all that will stop soon."

"Are there any… um… _ghosts _here, now?"

Zim looked around the crowd. No, as far as he could tell, no spirits were in the room. Just the smiling, hopeful faces of many of Peter (he-no) Fraudstein's fans. So sad. They're so willing to believe in anything that they will take this fraud's claims for truth. Zim had to put a stop to this. Nobody reaps the benefits of the misery of others.

The crowd suddenly went quiet at the request of the announcer. Peter (he-no) Fraudstien zoned out, gripping at his head in an attempt to connect with creatures from 'the other side'.

"I'm sensing… an _elderly_ gentlemen coming through… possible heart-failure, any kind of prevalent disease across the whole populace, so that it makes the statistics pretty high?"

"Yeah, my uncle had heart problems!" one skinny young man shouted.

"So did my late husband!" called an old woman.

"I'm getting a name beginning with J, possibly a John, Jack, Jason, Jimbo –?"

"My husband was named John!"

"My uncle was Jack!"

"And did _John_ like… food?" Peter asked, focusing on the old lady now.

"Yes, John loved his food. He loved his food good!" the old woman cried.

Zim was face palming. The guy was just asking general questions that apply to many. A large majority of the human population suffered from heart problems (due to unhealthy lifestyles and food choices). And John is one of the most popular names, having many varieties across different languages.

Zim moved his hand away from his face and then took a double take. Next to Peter (he-no) Fraudstein was an old man. Although he looked quite ordinary(having already passed on to the other side), Zim could still sense he was a spirit. Maybe Peter wasn't a fraud after all… Was the old guy feeding him information?

The Irken peered around the room. There were others like him, standing by their living relatives. This couldn't be real… Peter had to be a fraud. It's in his name!

Beside him sat a woman, and behind her stood an older woman placing her hand on her shoulder. Zim glanced up at her. She looked down and smiled pleasantly.

"You see me perfectly don't you, dear?"

Zim kept his mouth shut. The younger woman next to him would wonder who he was talking to.

"Why don't you tell my daughter that I'm here?"

"It's a lot easier said than done…" Zim muttered as quietly as possible. The daughter looked his way curiously. Zim faced the front again and noticed a procession of spirits leading to Peter on stage.

"Hey, gel-head!" one large man shouted at Peter. He was second in line. "Why don't you tell my nephew that I'm here too! Stop talking to that old biddy! There's a line here!"

"Excuse me, sir, but _I _was first in line. And I would be grateful if you didn't refer to my wife in that derogative way," said the first spirit of the old man.

"Well go over there and tell her to stop hogging up the limelight. She's had her turn, let someone else have a go. My nephew's waiting for me down there!"

"Oh just wait your turn!" a spirit of a mouse-faced lady snapped behind him. "My sister's down there. I died of cancer six months ago, and she's worried about me, so we all want to get through to someone tonight. You're not the only one here!"

"Shut up, lady, no one asked for your life story!"

All the spirits began to argue, making the lights flicker for a moment due to their build-up of negative energy. Everyone in the room screamed.

"It's my cousin Steve! He's making the lights go out! He always liked to play with the lights when we were little!" a living woman cried in the front row.

Beside her, Steve looked really confused. "No I didn't… Geez, Karen, you can't be _that _desperate for my coming through."

"A message from the other side… I believe _Steve _is coming through to you, miss…" Peter said.

"Yes, but not _through_ the lights. I'm not a friggin' poltergeist! You old fraud. Don't listen to him, Karen. I'm right here. You don't need this fake to tell you that."

"Whoa, whoa, hold on, Stevey boy. So… you're saying this guy really doesn't speak to the likes of us?" the fat man asked in line.

"Yes, and they're all falling for it," Steve replied.

"We're all being conned?!" the fat man yelled in surprise.

"Conned or not, it gives me a chance to put my wife at ease… I've got to get through to her somehow."

"But he can't even see you old man. He's just asking her general questions. Who doesn't love food?! And I can gladly say we both suffered heart problems. I can't believe we've been played for fools."

"What? He can't do that?!" one spirit cried.

"Hey, give my brother his money back, fraud!" another shouted.

All the spirits started yelling at Peter (he-no) Fraudstein, but the guy was completely oblivious. Anyone with the slightest bit of psychic ability would be able to sense a whole procession of spirits yelling at them, but not Peter. He was that disconnected from the spiritual realm, too materialistic and corrupt in his pursuits. He probably couldn't even see a spirit if it danced naked in front of him.

Zim observed this entire spectacle speechless. It seemed the crowd doubled in size once all the spirits emerged. Combined with the living and the dead, he was becoming overwhelmed.

"I think you should put an end to this. It's going to get way out of hand, and someone will get hurt," the lady behind Zim said.

"How? There's too many of them. I wouldn't know where to begin."

"Just do what you know is right… You've done it before, so you can do it once again. I'm aware of your reputation. You've become quite well known on the other side…"

"… I… have?"

"Yes, your little blond friend is very proud of you up there."

"Which one? The tall or the shorter one?"

"The little girl of course. That's not to say _She_ hasn't talked about you too… Now get up there."

The old woman whom Peter was speaking to was crying now, knowing her beloved had gotten through to her at last.

"I want him to know that I love him so much…" she cried.

"I'm sure he knows that already, ma'am. Now let's all give a cheer for Rose, who has made a fine assistant in tonight's show!"

The crowd gave an applause.

"You're nothing but a crook…" John, Rose's husband, growled next to him. But Peter was unaware.

"I'm afraid ladies and gentlemen that no other spirits have come through," Peter said. "The show will commence shortly after a fifteen minute –"

"Lies!" called out a voice in the middle of the crowd.

"I… beg your pardon, sir?" Peter asked the mysterious crowd member, incredulously.

"Lies, it's all _lies!"_

Peter faltered as his forehead started to bead with sweat. The whole room turned quiet, living and dead.

Skoodge glanced up nervously at his companion who had risen to his chair.

"Zim… what on planet _Blorch_ are you doing?" he asked, mirroring Zim's question not so long ago.

"Don't worry, Skoodge, I got this. _Zim _has got this!"

"W-well, would you like to come up here, sir, and share your thoughts with the crowd?"

"I'd be glad to, Peter-you are a-Fraud… _stein_!"

"Very well, come up here. A cheer for the little green man as he makes his way to the stage!"

That was Zim's cue. So off he went to the stage as everyone cheered. Zim's pride was showing as he ascended the stage, loving all the praise from these inferior creatures… No, _equal_ creatures, it was equal now.

A man gave Zim a microphone so he could address the crowd. Peter already had his mouthpiece attached. He looked down at Zim so self-assured, but it was the mask of a nervous man.

"I'm very flattered by your applause, but I seek no praise for the services I provide. This man is a fraud and speaks to no spirits in this room tonight. I can assure you all!"

Peter laughed good-naturedly as he put an arm around Zim. He had to lower himself to the alien's level, since he's so short. "My, you're certainly a party pooper, aren't you? Coming up here and saying all those things. Are you often as loud and destructive as this?"

Zim laughed darkly, "Oh, you have no idea, filthy human magician. So get your grimy, lying paws off my shoulder…" the alien breathed in his ear.

Peter looked at the little green man unsure and slightly nervous of that psychotic gleam in his eyes. He stepped back and gave him some space.

"How about you inform the crowd of all my lies then, good sir? I'm sure they would love to hear all of their hopes shattered."

"Turning the crowd against me, how very clever, but how about you tell them all about the huge procession of spirits leading up to your stage first, hm?"

Peter stared at him dumbfounded.

Zim smiled. "I thought so... You can't even see them, can you?"

"I…uh… what you –?"

"To my left is an elderly, dark-skinned man, behind him a very large man who looks as if he visited _Mcmeaties_ too many times, and then after him is a rat-faced lady."

"Hey!" the rat-faced lady snapped. "I'm mouse-like."

"But of course, you wouldn't know that…"

"Huh, the green midget really does see us... who knew…" the elderly man remarked.

"Did you also not notice he's an alien, old guy?" the fat man said.

"Heh, _heh_, that's enough words from your mouth, hippo! What's your name, anyway?"

"Jack."

"And who are you here to see tonight?"

"The skinny kid on the second row. He's my nephew."

"You!" Zim pointed to the skinny kid on the second row.

"Me?" he asked.

"Yes, your uncle Jack has something he'd like to say to you."

"You… how did you know that I was here to see my –"

"He just told me. He just wants to let you know that he's proud of the man you've become, and he's with your dad now. Oh, and he loves what you've done with his car. The flames are a nice touch. What? They don't make the car go faster, that's ridiculous. How would _I _know? I was a scientist on one of the universe's greatest research planets; I think I'd know if _fire_ painted on a car makes the engine run faster! Uh… Yeah, he likes the flames…"

"We always talked about adding the flames... how it would make it go faster…" the skinny kid said.

Zim growled at his words. "Yes, yes, the _flames_. He also wants you to break up with Caroline. She's not the right girl for you."

"W-what?" he asked, looking over at Caroline on his left. She eyed him evilly.

"I think that's enough for today," Peter interrupted, grabbing Zim's mike. "Security, escort this gentleman out of the building. He has disrupted this show long enough."

"Wait, we wanna hear what else he has to say!" another member shouted from the crowd.

"Is my grandfather here!" one young woman shouted at the back, so loud so not to miss her chance.

Zim looked to the line of spirits.

"I'm here…"

An old man came forth with piercing blue eyes. "Tell her I'd be proud that she took that trip to Africa. I just want her to be happy…"

Zim looked at the girl. "Go to Africa, and just be happy. It's what he wants best for you."

The girl clutched her mouth once he mentioned Africa. How could he know…"I… I will…" she cried, genuine tears pouring down her cheeks. She sat back down again.

Peter glared at Zim. He definitely has talent, however he does it. A true manipulator, but he could see right through it all. After all, how could spirits really exist?

Now the guards grabbed Zim and escorted him out, but the old man John took his arm.

"Let my wife know that I love her too, please."

"It's too late now… I'm sorry."

"It's not. Do it now!" John let go of his arm

As Zim passed his wife, Rose, he told her all she needed to know.

"Your husband loves you too… but he begs of you to stop coloring your hair all sorts of crazy colors! And he says the kitties, Milo and Miles, are sleeping well… How cute," Zim remarked.

"He's with our babies!" she gasped.

"So he says," Zim called back as he was dragged out the room.

The crowd protested, every human living or dead. Peter looked uncomfortable as a kitchen sink was thrown on stage, so he later announced that the show would be cut short and all would get their money back (not that he was happy about that).

The only ones who never got their money back were Zim and Skoodge. Of course.

"Wait!" Zim shouted. "You forgot my friend Skoodge!"

"Zim! I mean… I don't know him…" a stout green man called up. Next, another security guard grabbed Skoodge as he cried out in defeat.

Both aliens went flying across an alley outside of the building once the guards threw them out.

"Zim, how could you? I was having fun!"

"You're speaking to an Irken who has betrayed you countless times, like sacrificing you to a Hogulus beast, and setting a security droid onto you while I escaped to Irk's surface. So why are you even surprized?"

"Yeah, but all that was in the name of war. Now you're just a jerk, you _jerk!_

Zim rolled his ocular implants. "I'm through with having this conversation with you. And stop stealing Dib's line! Jerk is his! I also heard you the other day spouting "lies!" all over the living room when President Man came on TV. I was in the kitchen… "Lies" is mine! Get your own catchphrase, Skoodge!"

"Fine, I will. I'll start with _Nyeh_…" Skoodge squeaked.

"That's Minimoose's line!"

"Well, how about "whiner" then?"

Zim sighed, "Very well… you can have that one." Gaz won't be too happy.

"What happened in there anyway?"

"You, an Irken who has met death himself, couldn't even see all those human spirits?!"

"No… I… I think… I'm _finally_ free… Death's shadow no longer lingers at my side. So I'm no longer connected with the dead, etc. It's all confusing… How is Johnny, anyway?"

"He acts less _dead _these days, but enough of him now. I believe I finally disproved of that fraud! Wait till Dib hears of this. Did you see me up there? Victory has never smelled so sweet."

"Yeah. But you got us kicked out."

"So what, it was worth it. If I were you, I would sell those tickets fast before he goes out of business. I hope it will be by tomorrow."

"But I haven't got that long!"

"Well you better get on the Earth Internet tonight and sell them quick. Peter-he-no-Fraudstein's reign of terror will soon be over. Rwahahahaha…haha…ha. Let's go home."

The Irkens finally stood and brushed themselves off, and headed back to the base. It had been a long evening, but there was some victory to be won in the end.

…

The door to Tak's holding cage opened as the force field went out, and in came those large Irken guards carrying those shock spears. Tak felt her spooch flip at the sight of them; she had enough of electrical shots lately. But she raised her posture defiantly.

They unlocked the chains and gripped her arms roughly.

"Really, where are your manners?" she said.

"Be quiet, traitor. Your trial is about to begin. And don't even think about trying anything. We _will_ shock you."

"I thought as much… Very well, let the trial commence."

They led her out of the cell and through a maze of corridors. Tak glanced quickly at the creatures in the other cells; strange alien entities that she didn't care to name. Some were primitive at best. To be placed with beasts of such nature made her skin crawl.

Next, her eyes fell on a Vortian crouching in the corner of his cell. At least he wasn't primal.

He met her gaze then. Tak averted her eyes. It was the captain of the Resisty, a Vortian whom she had come to accept as an ally. Now here he was.

Poor Lard Nar, he had already escaped from prison only to be captured again. No prisoner of the Empire stayed free for long.

She wondered if the rest of the Resisty were here too. After all, they had all been captured together after they lost the Meekrobian battle as one team defying the Empire.

At least the boy escaped back to Earth. Zim couldn't live without his precious _Dib-worm_ after all. Had he a soft spot for the human? Helping him escape was a sure sign.

They soon came to a room where she would be teleported to Planet Judgementia, and from there her fate would lay in the tentacle-like limbs of the Control Brains.

Tentacles, probing into her PAK and examining her personal memories and thoughts. No such thing as privacy in Irken civilisation.

The door to the teleportation tube slid aside, and she took her first step towards its interior. This was it. Her moment of reckoning was to begin. And she was more than ready.

Let the trial commence.

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><p><strong>AN: I read on the Zim wiki page that Dib was supposed to have joined up with the Resisty to fight off the Irken Empire, along with the Meekrob in Invader Dib. I have also seen discussion boards for plot ideas they had (and read some fanfics). They all say the same things too. All speculation, but it is more or less the plot they would have used. It's a shame they never recovered the plot. So this takes place after Invader Dib. I did always imagine that this fanfiction series took place after all the episodes, even the ones that never made it.**

**Tak however is my own addition to that rebellious team. I do remember seeing in a discussion board that people reckon Tak would have fought alongside Dib (and Gaz with Zim, just to get on Dib's nerves, but that's another speculation). I'm just playing with that idea.**

**I have copy and pasted a passage from the Zim wiki page, and cited it with a URL. I knew I came across it months ago when I planned this sequel in my head and tried to find some supporting evidence. I just found it the other day, and went all crazy-like and copied it on my computer. It was written by a fan all the same, but maybe they just know a little more than me (and research better sources).**

_**According to one of the plots for ****Invader Dib (the series finale), Zim would end up punishing Tak to exile on Saturn along with Dib, The Resisty and the Meekrob; she would have been accused of conspiracy to commit genocide on her own people in exchange for Zim's defeat, which he would immediately accuse her of treason. wiki/Zim_and_Tak%27s_Relationship. **_

**I finally found it in the section for "Zim and Tak's relationship in an nutshell." Okay, I added the nutshell bit at the end (because it's amazing) but that's where I found it. But on the section for 'Invader Dib' nothing about Tak's involvement in the plot is written there. Well not about her trying to cause the 'genocide' of her own people. That's the beauty of 'wiki' pages for you, editing and re-editing, etc.**

**I'll be honest, but I don't think of Tak as going against her race just like that. It seems... out of character for her.**

**She was such a good Invader and wanted to make the Tallest proud. Though do take note that is says 'one' of the plot ideas. The IZ writing team could have had many! It does also say accused (key words people!) Maybe Tak was just wrongly accused by Zim (because he hates her).**

**She was supposed to have messed up the SIR competition too in 'Top of the Line'. Maybe she was insane after all and 'defective' (spoken in a very spooky voice).**

**I've always wanted to write Tak's character in a fanfiction. And I got a chance now. She's a great character, and should be explored, crazy or not. If you know stuff, let me know in a review. It's just great to discuss IZ again, like old times.**

**Oh, and I know I always wrote Minimoose's dialogue as just a 'Squeak', but it is supposed to be a 'Nyeh' sound. That's why Skoodge said that. I kept it as a squeak because I hate the red lines that come up when you check for spelling mistakes, and Nyeh is one of them. I have had him say it in another fanfiction. But he only had one sentence in that. So no problem.**

**And do be wary of frauds who claim to be psychics. This obvious example here is just a magician, or a mentalist, and just used bad guessing techniques. Fraud is even in his name! The people of IZ can be gullible. Poor fools. I've been to a show similar like that for a psychic, and they were later debunked. Oops, I was the fool (but it was a good atmosphere). I hope you didn't think he was based solely on John Edward. I know nothing of the man, and won't judge. I wouldn't have been bothered if anyone didn't come through to me at the show I attended (in which they didn't). I don't need someone else telling me that someone is watching over me, anyway. But some people like to seek comfort, especially if they lost someone recently. I was a little girl of thirteen when my granddad passed, so I've had time to adjust. **

**And spot the self-insert! Africa is my long-term dream too. I just want to protect wildlife, and Africa's is amazing. **

**I will maybe update before Christmas, which is next Thursday. If not, then have a Merry Christmas :)**


	3. An unexpected broadcast

**A/N: here is the third update. This is 3000 words long, or somewhere near that number. My chapters were often much longer in my last story because I never actually set myself word limits. But I did with this story. I find it easier and not as challenging as I previously thought. They do get longer after the seventh chapter, as you'll eventually see. Well, read on and enjoy :)**

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><p>...<p>

The next day came around and the events of Peter (he-no) Fruadstein's show hit the Earth News. Zim watched the TV with a devilish smile growing on his face. Job well done.

The anchor man revealed Peter to be a fraud after all (no surprises there), and that Professor Membrane had been right all along, and that the word of a scientist should never be taken for granted ever again.

Unfortunately, this meant that genuine psychics were all seen as frauds now too. Not what Zim was hoping for. He went out of his way to disprove of a fraud only to make the population lose trust in all spiritual mediums.

Now he was starting to know how Dib felt about that 'Chickenfoot'. Not that Zim had any clue who that was. He just smiled nervously and went along with Dib's _crazy_ stories.

Suppose there were still believers out there. Zim had to put faith in that.

Skoodge sulked on Zim's left, holding his free tickets that he won at last night's show. He never looked so sad, well, for a while...

"Why do you even still have those? There isn't going to be a show next month now all because of ZIM!"

"It's just… it felt great to win something. Such an amazing feeling... I've not felt like this since I conquered Blorch."

"Just let it go, Skoodge… Oh, I shouldn't say that around the house so frequently anymore. GIR's gotten into the whole 'Frozen' thing lately… Bed sheets, lamps, waffle makers, you name it."

"But I thought that movie was old now, like_ forty_ _years _old."

"Yeah, you'd think a movie that came out just before Christmas 2013 would be old news by now. But the humans haven't stopped talking about it since..."

"Well, there's no wrong in holding on to something… whether it be an old-fashioned CGI movie, or free tickets." Skoodge sighed.

Next, there came a double-knock at the door, and Zim straightened up and opened it. Standing there was Dib, huffing and puffing because he ran all the way.

"I… I just… saw… on the news…"

"Yes, we saw it too. Why don't you come inside and take a breath or something… or how about a nice hot beverage?"

"…Sure…all right."

Dib walked inside and flopped next to Skoodge on the couch. The boy eyed his tickets then and sat up immediately.

"W-why… why you got those!" he screamed. He was still trying to catch his breath.

Skoodge held them to his chest. "Leave me alone! I want 'em, and I won't let 'em go!"

"LET IT GO, LET IT GO, I AM ONE WITH… WITH THE YELLOW SNOW… AND SLUDGE!" GIR shouted from behind the couch, who had been piling dust together to build a dust snowman.

"GIR, be quiet! You're singing it all wrong! Why wouldn't a fanatic at least get the lyrics right?" Zim asked himself.

"I suppose snow in the city is yellow and _sludgy_…" Skoodge remarked.

"Forget sludge, you traitor! How could you keep tickets to that fraud's show?!" Dib barked next, finally finding his breath.

"Oh leave him to it. If it pleases him," Zim waved a dismissive hand in Skoodge's direction. "So, I'm guessing you're here for details of last night's show?"

"You bet I am, space boy! So… spill it out," Dib replied, sitting back comfortably.

"Very well. There I was, sitting amongst the crowd, observing that man in all his fakery, until I –"

"Irken food provider; an incoming news report is coming through from the planet Irk in the main transmissions room. Also, that new food you're nourishing me with is insufficient for my dietary needs. Now I say meow."

The human and Irkens looked to a ginger cat sitting between the doorway to the kitchen. His mouth never opened once, except when he licked his paw and rubbed it behind his ear.

"A talking cat?! You taught your cat to talk, Zim? I knew you were still messing around with Earth's life forms!"

"Relax, Dib-stink. He's a beloved pet. I affixed a collar around his neck that allows his thoughts to transmit through a radio. See…" Zim pointed to a small radio on the cat's collar. "Ingenious!"

"I beg to differ. There's nothing _ingenious_ about paying for cheap cat food that looks like it's made entirely of pig intestines. Is that what I get for bringing you home that decapitated mouse yesterday?"

"Hey, you ought to be more grateful, Bob. I took you in after all when your last owner died!"

"You mean you _stole_ me… She was a lovely human. Always fed me the best prawns and fish... Not that cheap excuse of a meat that's probably leftovers from the slaughter house. A dog of all _beasts_ wouldn't even touch that filth."

"Fine! I will buy you some better food! Just because you're so cute… I can't say no to that sweet, criticizing face…" Zim kneeled down to pet his kitty behind the ear.

"Ah, yes… that's the spot. I love you, Irken food provider."

The cat purred as Zim rubbed its ear for a while. It must have some therapeutic effect on the alien, because he wouldn't stop.

"Okay, this is getting a little weird now… So you were saying, Zim?"

"Oh, yes, of course, the show… Well after I –…"

The TV screen turned off next by itself. All who was present in the room stopped and stared at it bewildered. It was just as well, because a trailer for yet another reality _talent _show had come on.

"Who turned the TV off?" Dib asked.

Zim never answered him as he looked around the room curious. Next, the TV came to life again, and an Irken insignia came up on screen- ominous and foreboding. All three took a simultaneous breath.

A heartbeat later, an Irken broadcast lit up the entire screen, followed with bright, alien images.

The Irken announcer appeared next, and there came the face of an Irken that made Zim's innards boil into a rippling stew. Those dark purple eyes, beauty spot of sorts and… wait, where was her implant? The one she used to brainwash her victims with?

"Is… is that Tak?!" Dib exclaimed in surprise.

Zim didn't respond. He just glared at the face of the Irken that he hated so much, and he was sure the feeling was mutual. He never did find his robot bee…

The announcer continued… "Irken Tak: traitor to the Empire, rebel and possible defect, is to be put on trial for an Existence Evaluation this afternoon in the Pike of Judgement. Her sentence is to be determined by the Control Brains –..."

Zim switched the TV off at once, and the images disappeared; images of Dib, rebelling alongside the Resisty and Tak herself.

Dib took the longest to regain composure. After all, he had never left Earth… or had he? He did have weird dreams once about flying on giant space bunnies while drinking space sodas with Zim. But still… faces of aliens who Dib had never met flashed across his mind. He was aware that one of them was Vortian, since he had read up on them in his research. But he hadn't seen Tak since she last came to Earth.

Zim was studying the boy while he remained quiet. Dib met his gaze at last. His eyes were intense, fixed only on Zim as the Irken gulped. Who knew a human could look so angry, lost, and confused all at once.

"Zim… is there something you need to tell me?"

Zim faltered. This was it. He knew he couldn't keep it up for ever. It was only a matter of time until Dib recalled of his old mission to thwart Irk. The Irken had made it so that 'Invader Dib' never happened… well not in the boy's eyes, anyhow. Zim had to do it, erase the boy's memories. He was a well-known rebel, and if the Empire knew he was still alive they would come to Earth and kill him. Not now, his newborn sister was two weeks old.

Zim couldn't let him perish. That's why he made the bold choice to save him from Saturn in the end. The gas giant would have killed him. Despite everything the boy did to him, he couldn't let him die. That was back then, when Zim and Dib were still mutual enemies.

He had once lived a short life without Dib interrupting his efforts to destroy the human race. The mopiness was unbearable… Hard to live with and hard to live without. A strange symbiosis that had merged between the two, like a host and its parasite. Who was the parasite?

"Well?!" Dib barked, making the Irken flinch.

"I… I hoped you would never find out…"

"Find out what?!"

"That you once rebelled against the most powerful Empire in the entire universe, fought aside its enemies in battle, and became a part of a… _not so_ notorious resistance group!"

"Why can't I remember any of it?!"

"Because I erased your memories, and then replaced them with a giant bunny, soda-filled space adventure."

"That dream! I always suspected some outside _alien_ influence. You had no right to take my memories away, Zim! I can't believe I can't remember one of the greatest experiences of my life because of some stupid, bitter rivalry! Why, Zim, _why?_"

"Because they would have killed you, Dib! If the Empire had the slightest clue that you were still alive –"

"Still alive? W-what?"

"They think you're dead… Saturn is an inhospitable planet. There's no way you would have survived. I'm not sure how the Resisty survived… The Meekrob never made it out though."

"You... you mean you saved my… life?"

"It's nice of you to finally catch up, Dib. And just think that was before I even cared anything for you…"

"… Why?" Dib asked once again.

"It was more for selfish reasons. Remember how you stopped hunting me down and joined your father in his quest for _real_ _science?!_ They were some dark days… At that time, I discovered that my mission seemed pointless without you there trying to stop me. I kept you alive solely for that. But now, I see you as a friend… and I don't regret a single thing, Dib!"

"I'm grateful for you saving my life, truly, but they were my memories. I should at least have them back."

"You can't. I did it to protect you. If you could escape from Earth and revolt against the Empire the first time, then surely you could do it again. It was for your own good. I wouldn't have been able to save you the second time around."

"But that was when I had Tak's ship. I must have lost it in the battle. Oh man. I always thought a shark got it in the end when it swam away to sea. It said it wanted to be a dolphin instead of a loser like me!"

"Heh, yeah… just another one of my many _mind _alterations."

"I don't think you understand what I'm trying to say. I have no means of transport anymore. If you give me my memories –"

"We'll have to wait and see, Dib. We may have made a truce, but there's still a little part of me that can't trust you, just as there's always a little part of you that can't trust me."

"How about this, if I can prove in any way that I won't go up against your race, then can I have my memories back? As long as you prove to me that you won't ever go up against mine."

"Deal." They both shook on it.

"If it's any conciliation, I do think you've changed… a lot. I know you would never go back to your old ways."

"Nice try, Dib-stink, though you are right. I suppose _I _have changed, but there will always be that obsessive, alien-hunting part of you deep inside your heart. You know I'm right. I have better control than you after all."

"Well it was worth a shot. And hey, I was never _that _obsessive. To risk my own life? Give me some credit."

"Well that didn't stop you the first time around…"

Silence merged between them now. Zim looked over at Skoodge, noticing how quiet he had been in the last five minutes. The news feed seemed to have disturbed him. Why, he never knew Tak. She never tried to take _his_ mission. Why would he be so upset by it all?

"Hey, what's the matter with you?" Zim asked.

Skoodge looked up at him absently.

"Put the TV back on…" he droned.

"What?"

"Just put it on! I just have a strange feeling."

Zim shifted his eyes uncomfortably and did as he was asked, turning the TV back on as the transmission still played. How odd. The connection still hadn't been cut.

"I wonder why the broadcast came all the way to Earth. During my time here, I've hardly received any –"

"There, I knew it! There… there she is…" Skoodge pointed at the screen to a female Irken with traditional red/pink eyes, not unlike Zim's.

Zim looked at the Irken on the screen. "Hey, that's Invader Tenn. Wow, she looks rough. Being held captive by the Meekrob really took its toll on her in the end. She hasn't been the same since, I hear. Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah, it must be some kind of override in the system –…"

"Quiet!" Skoodge barked, and Zim stopped. The fat Irken looked furious as he fixed his gaze on the screen. Zim didn't want to challenge him any further.

"Who is it? Who's the alien chick?" Dib asked. "When have I ever said _chick_ before?"

"She's Invader Tenn. Of course with your memories erased, you wouldn't have any recollection of her, but she's the main reason why the battle of Meekrob happened."

"Why? Is she important or something?"

"Pfft, she's all right. She was a brilliant soldier back at the Academy. A little bit of a show off, but…_ brilliant_. Irk's most prized asset… well, once."

"Well what happened to her?"

"Why don't you shut your noise tube, Dib, and listen!"

Dib shut his noise tube, and listened to the announcer explain Tenn's predicament.

"Invader Tenn's condition is getting worse… She's experiencing momentary lapses of insanity again…"

"Oh no…" Skoodge muttered, eyes shining.

Dib looked at Zim. "What's with him?"

"He was the one who saved her from Meekrob. His second best achievement ever, after_ Blorch_."

"So, Skoodge managed to conquer a whole planet, the first of many, then save one of Irk's best soldiers, and the Tallest still won't take him back?"

"It's a sad, sad universe we live in, Dib."

"Wow… I know I can relate."

"I can hear you talking about me you know. I _am_ in the room," Skoodge uttered next, bored and tired.

The broadcast continued... "We regret to inform you that Invader Tenn is to be dismissed permanently from her position as Invader. Too sick to go back into the military... such a loss to the Empire. The battle of Meekrob has taken yet another life…"

"Taken? She's not exactly dead. She can be fixed!" Dib yelled.

"She's pretty much seen as _dead_ now in the eyes of the Empire. What use do they have for a sick Irken? She wouldn't even be fit for the role of a service drone now," Zim said.

"What are they going to do?" Dib asked.

"_Humanely euthanize_ her, of course… What's the point of owning a race horse if its legs are broken?"

Zim was rather proud of his analogy there.

"No!" Skoodge stood up. "It can't happen!"

"There's nothing you can do, Skoodge. You did your best to save –…"

Skoodge grabbed Zim roughly by the shirt as the smaller Irken yelped in surprise.

"It can't happen. We have to stop it!" He shook him vigorously.

Zim stared into those large eyes of Skoodge's as he was shook up and down. He knew he meant every word.

"That's not the Tenn we know anymore, Skoodge. She's gone, just another victim of war. I'm sure they will preserve her memories, though."

"But… we… _I _saved her. We can save her again!"

"Why is it so important to you?"

"I can't let a fellow soldier die! She… has to get better…"

"I'm not sure if this is your agonizing_ loyalty_ to the Empire coming through again, or something a little more…"

Skoodge let go of his shirt. "I don't know what you're talking about. A soldier wants to save another soldier, nothing more to it. All in the name of war and… stuff."

Zim watched him closely, narrowing one eye. "Hm, very well… So, what do you plan to do?"

"I plan to go to planet Judgmentia and help save Invader Tenn!"

"So, you're just going to barge in and demand that they don't kill –…" Zim looked over at Dib who was listening intently. "I mean _euthanize _her in the name of war?"

"Come on, Zim, I'm thirteen now. What, you gonna tell me she's going to the 'special farm' next?"

"Can we get back to the real problem here! I have to do something. I don't want to have saved her just to see her perish so unfairly. The Tallest can't do this. She has to be given a chance."

"You never said more than two words to her during training, however, I do understand. Your whole life, you've been seen as a loser by your people, and Tenn's survival is proof of your dedication as soldier."

"Thank you, Zim. I have to do this. I know I'm taking a big risk; they could kill me! But… I have to, for Tenn… I mean, _war_."

"Uh-_huh_… I guess I can't let you go alone. Besides, I had your ship destroyed as soon as you left for the Hawaiian Islands, so you need my ship anyway. Like I'd let you ride that!"

"You… you would come with me?"

"Yes, I haven't been to Judgementia since my own trial…"

"You were put on trial!" Dib shouted.

"Silence! I wouldn't mind going again. So many memories … but I have to see an old _friend_ again. It's kind of sad to see her go. I'll admit she would have made a reasonable Invader, but … well… all's fair in love and war, I guess."

"Didn't you and Tak date for a week? I think she was more than a_ friend_, Zim…" Dib teased.

"Oh, please, I saw you two talking that day, and you were giving her meat, the _meat!_ Turns out she was just using you to get information about me."

"Hey, she expressed a genuine interest in my studies, I couldn't help it. It felt… nice."

"You dated an Irken rebel, Zim?! They're the worst kinds of Irkens… and rebels. When were you going to tell me this?!" Skoodge asked, horrified.

"Uh… _never_. I dated her in order to learn more about human affection, which I know plenty about now. And it's _horrifying_. It was ironic really as she wasn't human after all, but that's none of your concern, Skoodge. So stop pestering me!"

"Sorry… So when do we take off for Judgmentia?"

"Three hours… we will give it three hours. They say the trial's this afternoon, we still got time. I just need to put some supplies together first."

"Okay… I'll wait right here." Skoodge sat on the couch and twiddled his fingers until three hours were up.

Everything turned quiet again as Dib put his hands in his pockets. "So, I'm going to take off now… I promised my new _mom_ that I'd be home for lunch. Well, see ya, and have a good time in space."

Dib left through the door as Skoodge stared after him for some time. "He is aware that this trip could be on a possible 'no return' basis? He could say a better goodbye than that!" Skoodge cried, slightly hurt.

"Only for _you_, Skoodge. I'm going to watch Tak's trial. You're there to save a mentally scarred ex-soldier from possible euthanasia. I do hope you have a plan prepared?"

Skoodge gulped as Zim shook his head.

"Poor, gullible Skoodge..."

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><p><strong>AN: obligatory Frozen reference (I watched one of the new Xmas Simpsons' episodes on Christmas Eve, and they had that line across the TV before the famous couch sequence. It was just the Simpsons dressed up as Frozen characters while they rushed to the couch, and then Lisa summons an Ice Palace, because she is Elsa, etc). Though Zim and Skoodge were more direct here. It wouldn't surprise me if people still go on about Frozen in the year '2053', especially with all the sequels announced. But GIR can't get the lyrics right (that's because he's using his personal experience with snow - yellow, and sludgy). It is a good movie, but I'm sick of hearing about it now. Personally, it will never beat the Lion King for me. Tangled was also good too, and very similar, yet that never reached the hype of Frozen. Oh well. One of life's mysteries.**

**If you are one of many who have joined the Frozen bandwagon, then don't be offended. I have too, I own it on DVD, and I'm not ashamed. I'm sure I would have loved Frozen even if it didn't reach its hype anyway (being the Disney fanatic that I am).**

**Finally I got that off my chest. Let it go and all that tripe (sorry, it had to be said). **

**Yes, this will indeed be a Skoodge and Tenn shipping fanfiction (though no sexual stuff, because that would be taking it too far). It will be my first attempt at a romance in IZ (not including the ZaGr I deleted. I never reached that far anyway in the romance sector). I always adored the ship ever since I looked up the plot for Invader Dib in which he saves her, and it's stuck with me since. It's the best ship out of them all in my opinion. It just makes the most sense. Skoodge deserves it. Though I know Jhonen never would have made it a romance in the end, but who cares. He disproves of Zim and Tak, I can at least have this. I kind of agree with him on the Zim and Tak ship. It apparently is his least favourite out of all the ships, so I've read. The two don't actually go if you think of it objectively. They're chalk and cheese. Plus, they both seem to have no interest in romance, like true asexual beings. Though I still like the idea of the ship. Fanfiction opens many doors...**

**This won't be a Zim and Tak ship though, well, not like it will be for Skoodge and Tenn. You'll have to read on to see what I have planned for them.**

**Have you read the IZ comic Jhonen did for Nickelodeon? I'm sure you have. If not, then that is what that giant space bunny thing (and sodas) reference is. I remember reading somewhere that Jhonen said that was the ending he wanted all along for IZ (not sure if he was joking), but it is really funny. Maybe just some alternative ending. He did work on it alone, so had no team, etc. **

**In the comic, Zim and Dib go to space (after Zim takes over the Earth while Dib wasn't looking) and they ride giant space bunnies while drinking space sodas. Classic. Though Invader Dib tells a very different story.**

**I realised a big plot hole here. Dib in Clairvoyance didn't seem to have any recollection of going to space. Even though I never made it official that Invader Dib had already happened in the first story, he just never mentioned it. You'd think he would. Even the giant space bunnies! So Zim erased his memories all along (which he didn't care to mention either to anyone who isn't the Dib in the first story, though he was a little preoccupied with the ghosts), and replaced them with the alternative ending Jhonen used in the comic instead, and made Dib think it was a dream. I'd be a little embarrassed by a dream like that, so I know I wouldn't tell anyone. I'm sure Dib wouldn't either... Does that make more sense? No, probably not. I managed to fill the hole with some concrete, but it hasn't vanished completely. And Zim's reasons for taking his memories away are a little unjust (okay, he had good reason, since he cares about Dib now). But will Dib get them back? Stay tuned.**

**It it's any conciliation. I never had Dib mention Tak's ship once in Clairvoyance just by sheer coincidence. I should know, because I've read and re-read it and edited it over and over. I know every chapter off by heart (to some degree). Here, Dib realised what truly happened to his beloved alien ship. RIP the Dibship.**

**In Mopiness of Doom (another episode that never made it, though you can read a transcript, or watch a video online of the first InvaderCon with the cast reading it out with puppets), Zim misses Dib after he quits hunting him down when he joins his father in his lab. The episode is probably the closest thing you will get to canon for ZaDr. It's a nice idea, though I will never go there. Too risky for me. **  
><strong><br>That is why Zim saved Dib's life (not because of ZaDr!) He realised his mission is meaningless if Dib isn't around to stop him.**

**Though do take this into consideration, Zim's reason for saving Dib was pretty selfish. He did it for his own good, because _he_ feels horrible when he isn't around. It's similar to the episode in Ren and Stimpy where Stimpy leaves for Hollywood to be the face of Gritty Kitty, and Ren is happy that he's out of his life because he finds Stimpy a nuisance. But in the end he starts to miss his old pal, and wants him back in his life (because he misses him so much, and discovers that is life is meaningless without that idiot around).  
><strong>

**Ren is a very callous character. It's quite rare he shows true selflessness towards Stimpy or anyone in the show. The only exception being where they are in the pound in the pilot episode and Ren gets adopted by a little girl, but then he realises that he can't leave Stimpy behind to be put to sleep. Ren says "You can't take me home unless you take my friend Stimpy too" or along those lines. Ren put his life on the line for his goofball of a friend. The girl could have said no and left him there to die with Stimpy. But Ren didn't seem to care. Maybe he was confident she would say yes. I find that beautiful, especially from a heartless character like Ren. John Kricfalusi, ****the creator, was pressured from Nickelodeon, so I've read, to give Ren a more softer side. I agree he should be the mean-spirited chihuahua he is, but he does have his good moments, though rare, but that makes them the more special and easier to see.**

**You're probably wondering why that Ren and Stimpy thing is relevant, but I have to point it out. Zim is very similar to Ren. The shows both have similar themes too, though a decade apart. Ren and Stimpy is creepy as… well, _poo_, and so is IZ.**

**Though I'm sure Zim put his life on the line when he rescued Dib. What if the Tallest found out he saved a rebel? He must have had some knowledge of that, yet he still saved the boy. How sweet. Even before Zim changed his cruel ways, he showed some softness for Dib. He did show that softness too in Mopiness of Doom. **

**Well that is that. I still waffle in my author's notes, as you can clearly observe. **

**I'm not sure what the time difference on planet Judgementia is to Earth (should be billions of light years, really), but it appears that Tak's ruling coincides with Earth's time, or whatever part of the US IZ takes places in. **

**Happy New Year! I won't upload the next chapter till 2015 now. I will miss 2014. Turned out to be a good year for me.**


	4. Painful Goodbyes

**A/N: happy new year! Here is my fourth upload. This one is more of a filler chapter, but the plot will move along shortly. Thank you to my reviewers. I haven't replied to your comments but I do definitely read them. So I'm gonna thank you here :)**

**Invader Johnny: he is having a field day! I guess you've read the script to the Trial as a huge IZ fan, so you probably remember how it ended for him. Lucky Zim.**

**ngrey651: I'm so happy you like the twist in the story. I was worried some would hate Zim for taking his memories. It was very invasive. I know I wouldn't be pleased. **

**Quest reviewer: Thank you! You're so sweet! I can't send you a PM but that's okay. I was shocked to see your first review. I had no idea people liked Clairvoyance that much and thank for your compliments. They really mean a lot. I've been reading IZ fanfic for a while now, so I feel as if I've seen and read all the best fics out there, but they're will be others. Of course there will be! I will check that story out on dA. I would also suggest anything by HeCallsMeHisChild. One of my favourite IZ writers on this site :)**

* * *

><p>...<p>

"What?" Zim asked, looking over at Skoodge incredulous and slightly annoyed by his bad timing.

"We have to… I may never see her again."

Zim turned his gaze out the windshield of the Voot while Skoodge sat on his right with pleading eyes. They hadn't left the hangar yet, as the roof of the house already split in half to allow them out.

"You ask a lot of me today, Skoodge… but all right. I should warn you, speaking to an Earth child is not like speaking to an Irken Smeet. Molly won't grasp why you're leaving, or _why _you may never come back. You'll have to avoid the _dead_ word as carefully as possible. Say you'll go to the 'special farm'… Heh, Dib."

There came a snort of some sort at the back of the Voot. Zim decided it was nothing.

"I'll try my best. She's taught me so much, like how to eat cereal upside down, or ride a bicycle with no hands… I owe her this."

"How lovely... We'll make a detour to Molly's house, stay there for half an hour, and then _onward to space_!"

"Oh no. I don't think I can do this… How do I tell her we may never see each other again? I've never done anything like this before."

"I don't know, Skoodge. I really don't know what advice to give you. Just… let her know how special she is to you. That your leaving won't change the bond that's formed between you."

"Then let us go…" Skoodge said sadly, fixing his shining eyes on the road ahead.

Zim started the Voot and flew in the direction of Molly's house. The Voot was disguised as a large bee so not to draw in any attention. The bees of Earth were getting remarkably larger every year, so no worries.

Zim parked the Voot across from Molly's house once they arrived, finding a space between two cars. The hood of the car behind got a little scorched by the ship's thrusters, but nothing too damaging.

The windshield opened as the Irkens jumped out onto the pavement, receiving odd looks from Molly's neighbours. Lucky they had on their disguises as they walked up to her house.

Zim knocked on the front door. It opened and there was Molly's mother, Ruby, holding a screaming toddler in her arms. The noises coming out of his mouth were unbearable.

Ruby looked tired, as the red-faced tot stopped for the moment to stare at the two strange beings on his front step, and then cried once more. It was a continuous cycle.

"Oh, hello, Zim, Skoodge. You here to see Molly?" she asked in a friendly voice.

"Yes, ma'am, we were wondering if she were home?" Zim said.

"Of course, she's playing upstairs in her room. You boys make your way up." She moved aside and invited them through.

"Thank you."

Zim and Skoodge walked inside the house. Ruby placed the baby in front of the TV in a hi-tech walker, and then put on a mind-numbing baby show. He still wasn't satisfied, and proceeded with his tantrum. Ruby looked lost. What does the infant want? He's been changed, fed and he already had his 'nap of the day'. Earth toddlers… And just think it was still only six months away till the 'terrible twos'.

"Such a shame. He was an adorable baby," Zim remarked quietly to Skoodge.

The Irkens left the mother downstairs with her bothersome toddler, and made their way to Molly's room. They stood outside and listened to her playing a space game with her alien dolls. After much pestering, her mother finally bought her space toys rather than those awful Barbie dolls that she hated so much. Who wants to play with a doll with a disproportionate body, anyway?

"Quick, fly into the asteroid belt! They're gaining on us! Captain," the little girl put on a different voice now for another character, "we've been hit by an asteroid!"

"Asteroid belt? Is she crazy?! Game or not, no one willingly fly's into an asteroid belt. She has much to learn of space travel," Skoodge said.

"Heh, _yeah_, what kind of idiot would fly into an asteroid belt?" Zim laughed, pulling on his collar nervously. He pushed his past Mars adventure out of his mind and knocked on the door.

The noises stopped inside the room as quick footstep ran to the door. Next, Molly's face appeared as she gasped in surprise. She never got bored of seeing her extra-terrestrial friends.

"Zim, Skoodge! I'm so glad you're here! I'm playing a really cool game with my alien toys. You can play too!"

She pulled them inside and shut the door. The girl was wearing an alien costume with antennae, which she wiggled about her head.

"Look, I have grose insect feelers now too!"

"Yes, so you do," Zim observed, sitting upon his favourite spot; the woven chair. It creaked under his weight.

"Take your wigs off and we can all be aliens!"

"Sure thing, Molly. Anything for you," Skoodge replied, taking his yellow bouffant off.

"Now take your fake eyes out."

"Yes, sir!" Skoodge saluted, and did just as he was instructed.

"Zim, why haven't you taken your wig off?!" Molly shouted, appalled.

"Eh, I'll be the… human_ child _who has befriended the aliens. I'm already in 'costume'."

"Mmm, okay. You be the human child, and we'll be the evil aliens trying to brainwash you before we all make friends!"

"Look, Skoodge," the girl pointed to Zim, "a filthy human child. Let's brainwash him and make him do all our evil, alien stuff! Mwhahaha!"

"Hahaha, yeah… let's go get him," said Skoodge, watching the girl sadly. He would miss all of this.

"You, pig smelly!" Molly jumped in front of Zim. "Prepare to be brainwashed!"

"Huh?" Zim said. He had been watching a bird in the tree outside. "Oh… oh no, my normal, human boy brains are going to be brainwashed by this superior being from beyond!"

"Hahahaha!" Molly grabbed his head and prepared to brainwash him. Zim waited patiently.

"Well?" he asked. "Am I brainwashed yet?"

"In a minute… I… I lost my brainwashing thingy, so now I have to use my… _mind _to brainwash you, filthy Earth pig! Ha!"

Zim pushed her aside gently. "Hold on," he said, and reached his hand inside his PAK's storage compartment for his brainwashing device, or _thingy_. He hadn't used it in a while, but it was pretty potent. He actually succeeded in brainwashing a cashier at the 24hr convenience store to reduce his purchase on a Suckmunkey for GIR. Though it would never reach the high level of Tak's implant.

"Here, take this." He deactivated the object before he gave it to the human child. She wouldn't actually be brainwashing anybody (since it was all pretend), but Zim had to take caution.

"What is it?" she asked.

"A brainwashing thingy, of course. You turn the dial here, and then place it by my frontal lobe, or _forehead, _till it powers up."

"Will it hurt you?"

"No, don't be silly. Zim trusts you not to _brainwash_ him. Remember, it's all pretend…"

"Okay! Prepare to be brainwashed, filthy human!"

She pressed it to his head. "Noooo! My brains, my inferior, human brains!" Zim cried.

"I command you to… uh… dance like a monkey, twirl around, and then fall asleep!"

"I obey!" Zim danced like a monkey, twirled around, and fell asleep on the floor.

"Skoodge, put the human in a bag, and we will take him back to the base for horrible testing!"

"Yes, sir!" Skoodge took the case off of one of Molly's pillows, and pulled it over Zim's head. "There!" Skoodge stood proud.

"Hey!" Zim shouted, pulling it back off his head. "That's it, I'm not playing anymore. You know how I feel about sacks!"

"But it's just a pillow case, Zim. It only pulls down to your chin, anyway. We wouldn't have gotten very far with you."

"I think the games have gone on long enough now. It's time to tell her, Skoodge."

"Tell me what?" Molly asked next.

The aliens looked at the girl. Zim indicated to Skoodge with his finger, and pointed it at Molly and back at Skoodge again.

"You have ten minutes, Skoodge."

Skoodge twiddled his thumbs and looked up sheepishly at the girl. She waited patiently, eyes bright, blue and eager.

"I have something very important to tell you, Molly."

"Well what is it? Spill it out, Skoodge!"

Skoodge jumped when she yelled at him, and then sighed. He sat on the mattress of her bottom bunk. Its springs groaned in protest. Next, he patted the space beside him as Molly sat down with a lighter creak.

Zim folded his arms and stared out the window. He decided to watch that bird in the tree again. It had a nest and some chicks. He watched their gaping beaks cry out for a worm, while the loudest got it in the end. Zim was always the loudest too. He can remember them being eggs. They grow up so fast.

"We…" Skoodge started, "me and Zim are leaving Earth today. But not forever!" he added after that worried look in her eyes. "Well, not for Zim, anyway. You'll definitely see_ him_ again, if he manages not to blow up Judgementia in that fantastic way he does."

Zim felt it, the pride coursing through his body after Skoodge complimented his oldest, best trait (though he may not have noticed if Skoodge was being sarcastic. Skoodge had long stopped kissing his butt). But those days were over. No more explosions and no more fires. Just straight out sanity all the way. How boring.

"Why won't I see you again?" Molly asked, voice growing soft.

"I'm going to confront my leaders – very forbidden on Irk. I'm going to save the honor of an old friend. She needs help, but the Empire has given up on her. She's not broken, and I know she can be fixed. I just have to convince them."

"Is she important to you?"

Skoodge hesitated a moment, "… I don't know. I'm not even sure if she knows who I am. We hardly talked during training. In a way, she is. I saved her life once and I plan to save her again. It was the second, no,_ first_ best moment of my life. I saved a fellow Irken soldier from Irk's greatest enemy."

"You saved someone's life?" Molly asked impressed. "You were a hero after all."

"Yes, I know. Skoodge did good."

"Well I'll miss you, Skoodge, but you have to go, to save your friend. Don't let your mean old Tallest win!"

"I'll try my best, for you…"

"I know we'll see each other again. I believe in you, Skoodge."

"Thank you, Molly. You have no idea how much this means to… to…" He stopped and held his hands over his eyes. Molly put her arms around him and hugged him tight.

"I love you, Molly, I really do."

Zim snapped his head in Skoodge's direction. Did he really just say the "L" word? Impossible, Irkens were incapable of love. He was the rare exception for who knows whatever reason (nothing to do with his being defective), but Zim knew he saw something in the Tallest' eyes the day he resigned from his post as Invader.

They almost admitted to something. Who and what could they have loved? And now here he was, witnessing an Irken pour his heart out to a small Earth child, like it came naturally.

Was there more to his race than he thought? He had learnt many things about the humans, but his own race still remained a mystery to him.

The shorter Irken wouldn't admit, but Skoodge's bravery truly inspired him. To go up against his leaders, who once gave him restless nights, to save an Irken he admired.

Zim found it hard to relate, since he hadn't cared about any other Irken before (apart from Skoodge deep down), which was why Zim was indifferent to it all. Even Tak's trial... No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't care, but he knew he should feel something in the least. Death was death, regardless if Tak wronged him in the past.

She wasn't a monster like that_ thing _that hurt an old friend of his. Not quite so. So how could he be so neutral about it all?

Maybe it was because she was Irken. The humans were one thing, but the Irkens… He almost felt that they didn't deserve his respect, and that goes from the individual level to the whole population.

The humans taught him so much, but all that his own race had taught him was to be a merciless killing machine. So why did he sometimes feel a twinge of guilt when he recalled of all those Irkens that he hurt during Operation Impending Doom I? Old Zim was once proud of that fact. But now… how could he be? So twisted he was. They were life forms, regardless of if they were cruel or not.

"I love you too, Skoodge, and we will see each other again," Molly said.

Skoodge was too upset to respond as he held onto her. Trust Molly to be the one to have to reassure him in the end.

Zim watched them there, trying to seem indifferent, but his eyes failed him. There was no mistaking that sheen that glossed his ocular implants.

Now he approached the two. "It's time to go, Skoodge. Goodbye, Molly. Zim will miss you too."

Molly stood up from the bed and hugged Zim too. "Take care of Skoodge, Zim. I know you pretend you don't care about him, but you must take care of him now. He needs you."

"I'll do it for you, Molly." Zim met Skoodge's sad eyes next, and he tried to tell himself that his fat, snivelling face didn't break his heart a little.

"Come on, you, and stop crying. Invaders don't cry."

"Then I must be an exception, because my heart is breaking…"

Zim groaned and pulled the Irken up to his feet with great effort, keeping an arm around his shoulder. Skoodge cried helplessly on his right. Now he led him out of the room and all the way downstairs, and back into the Voot again.

Skoodge waved up to the window at Molly, as he still blubbered like a baby.

"Stop snivelling, Skoodge. Everything will work out in the end."

"How do you know that?"

"Because Molly's not the only one who has faith in you, my chubby, gullible Skoodge. Come here." He grabbed Skoodge's fat head and gave it a rough noogie. Skoodge looked disturbed.

"You're really not good at this, are you?" Skoodge remarked, while Zim held him in a headlock.

"No. Let us never speak of this again." Zim let him go, and Skoodge fixed his antennae.

"You know, you walked right past Molly's mother without your disguise on. And she didn't even notice," Zim said, taking his wig off and his contacts out.

"Well, she was too busy wiping mashed potatoes off the TV that baby Kenny hurled in yet another tantrum."

"She does have her hands full. Well, _onward to_ _outer space!"_

There came a squee of delight at the back of the ship. Zim shrugged and started the Voot, and the ship roared to life. The residents watched the giant bumblebee take off into the sky until it disappeared behind the clouds.

They finally left Earth's atmosphere and out into the dark void of space. Zim sat back in his moon-shaped chair and sighed.

"I have missed this. It's funny, space seems so much smaller now…"

He looked over at Skoodge, who was watching the little blue planet fade away.

"You will see her again, Skoodge. She's right."

"I just wish I could have kept myself together, unlike her. She was amazing… she didn't cry once."

"Molly's a tough kid. She gets her resilience from her aunt after all."

"Hey, how come you never said goodbye to her? She is always at Molly's aunt Lily's house with baby Johnny, after all. You can see her anytime."

"I know, but she has a lot going on at the moment. Plus, it's different now… she's not a little girl anymore. She grew up. "

"The last time we saw Molly senior, she didn't look a day older."

"I never meant physically, Skoodge. She's finally caught up with her years. Well, to a degree."

"Well what about Johnny senior? Isn't he usually at the hospital?"

"Why would I stop to say goodbye to him? We have mutual respect, but we're not friends in the slightest! I still can't utter the baby's name without tasting bile! That _Nny_…" Zim breathed viciously.

"The astral beings of Earth are strange."

"Well, you may not have to worry about them much longer, if you're losing your 'powers'."

Skoodge sighed, "I know."

"Let's put this foolish conversation behind us, and set this thing into hyper drive."

"Okay…"

"Would you like to activate the hyper drive?" Zim asked the chubby Irken, like he was five-years-old.

"I'm not so eager to put any more distance between me and Earth, but… all right."

"Wait! Let me activate the hyper drive!" Dib shouted from the back of the ship, making the Irkens jump.

"Dib! How did you get on my ship?!" Zim yelled.

"I sneaked in right after I left, and hid under the back seat. Did you really think that my new mom wanted me home, Zim? She doesn't tell me what to do! Okay, I do go to bed when she says, but come on, all the best paranormal research happens at night! Now that she's not pregnant anymore, she is more bearable to live with. Watching Dad monitor her behavior for the last nine months was getting too much after a while..."

"Then _how _did you manage to sneak back inside my base, and _all_ the way up into the hangar without my noticing, Dib?"

"Easy… but I'm not gonna tell you that, space-slime!"

"Fine, keep your secret to yourself. But I have to take you back. Rather foolish of you to emerge before I activated the hyper drive. Once we're in hyperspace, there's no going back. Mwhahahaha!"

"No, let me come on this mission. You owe me a space adventure, Zim!"

"How about giant bunny rides and space sodas –?"

"No! A real space adventure!"

Zim gave it further thought. "No. We're going to a planet governed by Irkens. It's too dangerous. If someone saw you..."

"They won't. Check this out." Dib activated a button around his wrist, and an Irken disguise flickered to life. His Irken look wasn't much to rave about; just the standard, red/pink eyes and Invader uniform.

"What? How did you do that?"

"Holographic disguises aren't that complicated to make, Zim. You outta try using one sometime," said the new Irken that is Dib. It was really strange hearing his voice coming out of an alien's mouth.

"Lies! You looked up the manual for Tak's disguise on her ship!"

"Yeah, okay... You know, some of the data I found on her ship was brilliant, Zim. I mean _really_ brilliant. You could have learned a few things from her."

Zim growled at him. "I nearly changed my mind before, but now I'm definitely taking you back!"

"Why can't you just admit that Tak was a better Invader than you?"

"I won't hear it, Dib! It's back to Earth now for you!"

Quickly, Dib activated the hyper drive, even putting in the coordinates for planet Judgementia, and the ship blasted off into hyperspace. Outside, all the stars disappeared, replaced with a strange tunnelling effect.

"Hey, it's not like it is in TV shows. Where the lines of stars shooting by?" Dib asked.

"You fool! What have you done? You've taken us… exactly to planet Jugdementia." Zim looked over the coordinates, which were a confusing array of numbers that only the top kinds of mathematicians could interpret.

"How did you –…?"

"What? You think I didn't make backups to all the data I found on Tak's ship? I know all the exact coordinates to most planets under Irk's rule now, Zim."

"Off by heart?"

"Yep!"

"That's pretty impressive. Well, for a _hyoo_man."

The ship turned quiet. Zim sighed. It was too late now anyway to go back to Earth.

"Can I trust you not to go up against my race again, Dib? No funny business!"

"I won't. I can't even remember how I did it the first time anyway. Besides, I'm merely there to observe now."

"You better be. Because I can't save you again, and _yada yada_… Just keep your disguise on!"

"Well _duh_, do you think I'm stupid?"

"Yes…"

"Well I think that would be more like suicidal, but whatever. Let the space adventures begin!" Dib proclaimed, pointing a finger dramatically out the window.

"Be quiet!" Zim yelled.

So onwards they went on a fun-filled space adventure that didn't involve giant space bunnies and sodas.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I read somewhere (I think it was Zim wiki) that Jhonen stated in a commentary for one of the episodes (if you know it tell me) that Irkens are capable of love. I remember where I read it now. It _was_ on the wiki page, in the section for 'Irken Biology'. Is that to say 'love' is a biological thing? There's supposed to be hormones involved, but forget all that. Love is a complex thing that science can't explain... Tangent alert!**

**As Zim learnt a lot from the humans, he is know going to learn some things about his own species. People he was raised with. He feels a connection to us and not his own kind anymore. It's reasonable though.**

**Molly's little brother has a name now. Kenny, like off South Park. It's also one of my cousins names.**

**I read an article on that IFLS site that many sci-fi shows and movies depict space very inaccurately. I'm no space expert, but some made a lot of sense. For one, the likelihood of you hitting an asteroid in an asteroid belt is a million to one,(or something like that) because space is just SO BIG (well, duh). They spread out and that. The only way you could hit one is if you directly went looking for one and then SMASH! But then even that would be unlikely. I think the reference there is Star Wars. I haven't watched it since I was young (is it embarrassing that I've seen the Family Guy Stars Wars more than the actual Trilogy itself? Yes, it is). But who knows really. Space is amazing and full of _endless possibilities..._ **

**This was a separate article, but I can't remember where I read it now (hopefully not IFLS. I'm no longer a student, so I have no access to actual scientific literature anymore! Just articles and blogs). In Star Trek, when they fly at Warp Speed, they see those stars shooting by (I used to fall asleep imagining that years ago and it always helped. Even in school. Forget those sheep!) I'm no expert again here, or even a Star Trek one, but its just so famous. You can't not know what it is (can't not know sounds odd). In this article, a bunch of physicists decided (after a bunch of experiments that is) that hyperspace would actually look like a tunnelling effect due to... I can't remember why. But it was cool, sciencey stuff though. If I could find the article again, I would probably be able to explain better.**

**Science fiction is not my strong point, which is why my writing isn't that great for it. It's more cartoonish (IZ is a cartoon, but still). My specialty is fantasy, supernatural and animals. But I'm writing a story about an alien. You have to have some in. I have no plans to write a science fiction novel in the future though. But it's alright to at least try with fanfiction. You find what you're good at and what you are not good at (leave sci-fi to the experts). **

**Johnny's still doing his community service. Yes, I mean Johnny C. to newcomers. He was sentenced to do 200 hours. But it stretched longer than nine months in the end, and probably still counting (maybe 200 hours is like 200 years in the afterlife. Poor Johnny). Johnny hasn't made an appearance yet so far in the story (he is just mentioned several times). I have another five chapters to upload. But it's still not finished yet. I'm sure he'll appear again. This fanfic is focusing more on IZ now. I actually re-watched all the episodes prior to writing this to get a feel of the show again. It had been two and a half years... that's probably why Zim ended with "Be quiet!" when Dib was shouting. That's a reference to Bolognius Maximus.**

**Dib:"Mortal enemies working together for the common good!"**

**Zim: "Be quiet!"**

**I'm sure you got that.**

**A lot of the next uploads begin and end with dialogue. I've never done it before so just trying it out. I doubt I'll ever do it again because cutting someone off is rude!**

**I know this isn't a Dexter's Lab, Rugrats, or even a Babe fanfiction, but I'd like to say RIP to Christine Cavanaugh. I grew up with her voicing so many of my favourite characters. I always listen to the Babe soundtrack "If I Had Words," on Youtube. So sad :(**

**Did you get through all my word vomit in the end? I'm impressed.**

**Well the next upload will be next week. Goodbye for now :)**


	5. Apparition

**A/N: here is chapter four. I don't have much to say up here so read on :)**

* * *

><p>...<p>

The Voot finally arrived at its destination as an ominous planet loomed ahead.

Planet Judgementia; a world where Irken criminals and less occasionally _space clowns_ are sentenced to determine their defectiveness... These types of trials were often a private affair, with only the Control Brains and the accused present.

Zim's had been a rare exception. It seemed that the entire population of Irk was present at his trial. Even the Tallest themselves made a special appearance.

Zim watched the other Irken ships approaching the planet. He shook his head. Tak was a well-known convict and all of Irk anticipated her final punishment. But once she was determined defective, her entire history will be erased and forgotten from the Irken collective. But that was if she were defective. If not, would she be set free?

"Wow, it's even bigger than it is in its picture…" Dib said in awe of the planet.

Zim and Skoodge looked at him strangely, and then shared a brief look.

"Yes, who would have thought… I'm assuming you've learned some of the Irken language by now?" Zim asked.

"You bet I have!"

"All twenty characters?"

"Yes!"

"Written or spoken?"

"… Darn it. I can only recite Irken as a written language. I've never heard it as a spoken language before. Most of Irk's broadcasts were in English, anyway."

"That's because Irk's spoken language _is _English, Dib… I was just messing with your head."

"Huh? W-why?!"

"You mean _why _our languages sound the same, or why I lied to you just now?"

"Both!"

"I think your disgruntled reaction speaks for itself. I could see it in your eyes; you felt scared and… _unprepared_. Body language is the most powerful language of them all"

"Fine… I guess I'm all right speaking English then."

"That you are." Zim glanced over at Skoodge next. "Skoodge? What's wrong now? You haven't uttered a single word since we entered hyperspace."

"I'm just nervous, that's all..."

"Well, have you even thought of a plan yet?"

"No."

"Ugh, you fool! Don't come crying to me when you find yourself imprisoned at the command of the Tallest because _you _were too lazy to think up a convincing sob story! Not that it would work, anyhow."

Skoodge pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around himself. His eyes widened at the looming planet ahead.

"You're unbelievable."

"Hey, leave him alone." Dib scolded. "Can't you see how nervous he is? I'm sure you'll think something up, Skoodge. Many studies on Earth have proven that a little behavioral therapy and counseling can clear away a mental illness. Though, if it's on a more permanent basis, there's always medication…"

"She's not permanent. She can be fixed…"

"Well, you have to prove that she can be."

"How?"

"I... I really don't know… I'm better with _real_ demons, not personal ones…"

Skoodge pulled his legs in tighter.

"Good advice, Dib. At least mine was more productive."

"Well you were more supportive before, giving him the 'noogie of doom.' Man, if only I had my recorder for that."

"I said never to speak of that again!"

"Not to me you didn't. You could give your friend a little more support. I know you only act harsh towards him for my benefit, but just think of Skoodge's for once."

"I never knew you and Skoodge were so close."

"We're not so bad, are we, Skoodge?" Dib placed his hand on Skoodge's shoulder. Skoodge yelped.

"Geez, sorry…" Dib apologised.

"No, I should be the one to apologize. There was no need for my outburst."

"Well everyone gets nervous from time to time."

They finally entered the planet's orbit, and soon the Pike of Judgement became visible upon the planet's surface. It was an imposing structure, creating a harrowing shadow across the landscape. Already, Irken spacecraft was loading into a docking bay nearby, so Zim flew the ship towards that region.

Once the Voot was loaded into the docking bay, Zim, Dib and Skoodge walked to the Pike of Judgement. Zim had an idea to leave Dib behind in the Voot, but thought better of it, in case he went missing and tried any 'funny business'. Besides, don't humans die in hot spacecraft?

A crowd of Irkens gathered near the entrance, and once inside the interior, the three were ushered into a balcony inside the Pike. It all happened so fast, Dib didn't have time to take it all in. Irkens were so much more organised than humans, no pushing and shoving, which was why it didn't take long for everyone to get inside.

He was just lucky no guards were performing x-rays of all the Irken citizens; they would have noticed his strange, alien skeletal structure.

Once seated, the boy looked around in awe at the crowd of Irkens; so many glowing eyes floated in the darkness around them. Dib wondered if his disguise's Irken eyes glowed too.

However, the Irken masses were nothing in comparison to the three large Control Brains now hovering above a high platform in the middle of the room, silent and waiting… They made the boy think of giant, menacing crabs.

"Hey, Zim," Dib whispered.

"What?" Zim replied, looking very uncomfortable to be around his own species again. They seemed so hollow now.

"These Existence Evaluations… they're used to determine whether the Irken is defective or not, right?"

"Yes."

"And _you _were once put on trial? What was the ruling?"

"That I was the most incredible Irken to have ever lived…"

"Come on, be serious now."

"No,_ seriously_. The Control Brains confirmed it!"

"Sshh!" some Irken shushed in the balcony above. He must like things quiet.

"They even let me pilot the Massive for ten minutes…"

"Neat. So, Tak… she could be defective too?"

"Yep."

"And?"

"And what?"

"How does it make you feel?"

"It doesn't make me feel anything, like a hollow, empty space of… _hollowness!_"

"Don't get me wrong, Tak was bad; she did try to destroy my home planet and nearly succeeded. Although I don't remember, Tak and I somehow teamed up and–… yeah, I know, not here," Dib added after Zim's warning glare. "Just maybe there's…"

"There's what?"

"… Forget it. Let's just watch a life slip away before our eyes, like it's nothing."

Zim knew what he was getting at, but he never said anything more about it. Dib was a human after all; for him not to feel anything about the end of a life would be _inhuman._ Irkens were too casual about it.

"What I don't understand…" Skoodge started to say, "is why they're holding Tenn's…" he gulped, "_Evaluation_ here in the Pike. She's not a criminal, or defective. She was a revered soldier, a victim of war. Existence Evaluations should be for criminals only!"

"And don't forget those space clowns… The Evaluation is just a formality in the end, Skoodge. It serves as a purpose to rid an Irken of their PAK for good. I'm sure they'll preserve her memories. Though I doubt hers will be a public execution. Something more respectable, like in a private sector. You're right; Irk shouldn't treat a dedicated soldier, no matter how insane she has become, with disrespect. She should go with honor."

"But the Pike of Judgement… it's just too harsh. Tenn is a good soldier; she shouldn't have to be judged at all."

"Well that's what the Evaluation is for, to observe her memories. With all her high scores and accomplishments, I'm sure the Brains will be _very_ impressed."

"She has to be in this building somewhere."

"Well what are you waiting here for, Skoodge? If I were you, I would be looking for this 'private sector' where Tenn's Evaluation is taking place."

"I… I should!"

"Then go, quickly, before the trial begins! Once they start in here, they won't let anyone back out!"

Skoodge stood up frantically, and vanished down the stairs to the right of the balcony.

"You go, Skoodge! Not another moment to lose!"

"Sshh!" shushed the same Irken as before.

"Oh shush yourself!" Zim barked back.

Suddenly, floating monitors across the room lit up to reveal Tak's face. This was it…

A bound, blindfolded figure descended the platform next, flanked by guards, and the crowd began to jeer. It was Tak. Zim felt a sinking feeling in his spooch as he watched the small, silent figure.

The booing soon turned to cheering as two more figures teleported down from above and onto the platform. And there appeared the Almighty Tallest in front of the bound Irken. The Massive was exactly on schedule.

Another strange feeling came inside of Zim's gut, as he observed his Almighty Tallest on stage. It was a while since he had been in the same room with them. He could not tell, but it almost seemed they regarded the figure before them with disgust. He never knew an Irken could look so menacing.

To the balcony above him and to his left and right, he could hear sounds of derision.

The Tallest were fashionably late for his trial, but here they were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to introduce this event. They must want this formality over and done with.

"Wow, is… is that the _Tallest_?" Dib asked next. "I can't believe I'm finally in the same room with both of Irk's rulers."

"Yes, they're quite the sight, aren't they?" Zim replied, and there was a hint of irony to his tone. He didn't bother telling Dib he had been in a room with them before though.

"They're okay, I guess. Being tall isn't such a big deal on my –… yeah, I know, _I'm_ Irken. Tallness_ is_ a big deal..." Dib uttered after that pointed look from Zim. There were many eavesdroppers around, the boy should be more careful about what he says.

The crowd stopped as Tallest Red raised a two-fingered hand. "People of Irk! We have before us today a very special case."

"A special case indeed!" Purple chimed in. "Standing right here is one of the most despicable, unbelievable, and atrocious Irkens to have ever spawned in the history of Irk. Even worse than Zim!"

The crowd laughed and cheered. Dib looked at Zim with his brows raised. Zim didn't look too pleased as it was meant to be a joke. At least Zim, in his twisted kind of way, was still loyal to the Empire. He was just so insane; he didn't realise he was causing so much havoc.

Tak was more careful and calculating. She knew very well what she was doing when she turned against her race and joined their enemies in battle.

"That's right, Tak, betrayer of Irk's, day of judgement has finally arrived. Now, let the trial begin!" Red shouted long and loud for all to hear.

All the cameras in the room converged on Tak as her blinders separated; a strange metal plating that covered her whole face. Once her face became visible, the crowd hissed in anger, but Tak's expression remained cold and stoic.

Zim watched her on the monitor, searching for any sign of fear, but he found none. The Irken was as cold as the unfeeling robot arm that gave him life, and it disturbed him. Zim saw nothing in her misty purple eyes, just a hollow emptiness. Her skin, however, was remarkably paler. The Irken looked tired but strong.

"Well, she's certainly looked better in the past…" Dib remarked.

"As a young skool girl with a horrible bob cut, steel-toed boots and tailed shirt? When you come to think about it; Tak's human disguise bears an eerie resemblance to Johnny C. How did I not notice before?!"

"No, I –… forget it!" Dib sat back in his seat, folding his arms. Tak's old look was kind of cute, so what.

The lighting focused on Tak, making her the focal point of the room. Now the Control Brain's eyes shone a deep, crimson red as they hovered before the Irken.

Her arms remained bound as the guards stayed by her side. That was odd too. It wasn't until Zim made an escape during his trial with his 'inflatable Spork' that the guards remained by his side.

Maybe they had taken extra precaution since Zim's trial to ensure it never happened again (it wasn't like Tak was going to use an inflatable Miyuki. Spork had already been used). Or maybe Tak was a special case, never to be trusted. Zim wondered if she had been allowed any kind of freedom since her capture.

The central Brain began to speak. "Irken Tak: prepare for replay. All your memories will be made known for all to see."

An array of monitors appeared above the Irken. Next, cables slithered from the monitors and locked onto Tak's PAK, lifting her off the ground. The screens turned to life to show images of Tak's past. Now all will know about the mystery Irken who appeared from nowhere to defy her race.

Zim almost noticed the anxious expression on her face, but it past only a moment. Zim had been rather proud during his trial to have all of his personal memories played before a crowd (but that was because he was also an idiot).

Ever since Tak came into his life, Zim was rather curious about her. Apart from her fifty years on planet Dirt; Zim never knew that much about her.

As the images flashed by, it turned out that Tak the Betrayer had a pretty standard Irken upbringing. Smeet Tak was adorable, as they all were, but there was a certain charm about her at that time that no one in the room could deny, even the Tallest, who have imprisoned Smeets in the past (they mustn't have been as cute as Tak was). Zim even heard a few "awws" and tuts in the balcony above and to the right. How could such a cutie turn out so evil?

Did Irkens even find their babies cute? Zim always thought that was solely a human trait. He mustn't have paid much attention when the whole crowd buttered up over little Timmy at his trial (before Timmy was sent to the dungeons that is).

She made no faults in her Smeethood; caused no blackouts, unlike Zim.

Images of her training on Devastis appeared on the screen next. More standard stuff, she always followed the rules, stuck to protocol as everything was going great for her. Until the day of the tests had arrived to become one of the Irken Elite... That's where it all went wrong.

An image of Zim soon appeared eating a fun-dip amidst a pile of wreckage, while Tak yelled for help behind a porthole. None came to her aid. Not even Zim.

Chatter started amongst the crowd. Not surprising that she would have some connection to Irk's other most hated Irken. Zim shrunk low in his seat. Let's hope they all don't throw the blame on him too, like Tak surely did.

"Wow, Zim, you were a real jerk. Didn't you hear her crying for help?" Dib said.

"Quiet!"

"Whatever… jerk."

Now images emerged of Planet Dirt, and the screen paused and replayed the scene of Tak leaving her janitorial position.

"You violated a direct order from a Control Brain and left your assigned post on Planet Dirt?" asked the central Brain.

"Very questionable…" said the Brain on the right.

"What do you have to say in defence of this crime?" asked the first Brain again.

Tak looked up at the Brain that spoke, and pointed a steady hand at the Tallest.

"Why don't you ask _them_…" she hissed.

The crowd gasped. The Tallest looked uncomfortable at that moment.

"Ask _them _why they didn't punish me then for leaving my post on Dirt, all in favour of _delicious snacks_?"

"The traitor lies. We know nothing of these _delicious snacks_…" Red confirmed.

"No, it is_ you_ who lies, my Tallest. I proposed to them my mission to pump out the magma of that disgusting rock, Earth, and refill it with snacks as an offering of gratitude. Instead of punishing me for my obvious lack of obedience, they pardoned me and gave me my freedom. As long as I succeeded on my mission."

"Yes, but you failed. Nice try, Tak! We didn't get your snacks in the end all because of ZIM!"

Red put a hand to his face, as his long, fine fingers spread evenly. Purple covered his mouth. "Oops," he said.

Tak was smiling now. "As you see, I only speak the truth."

"This is an interesting revelation," the central Brain said. "Two leaders of Irk pardoned your disloyalty to your post in favor of these _delicious snacks_. What does this tell us?"

"That they are as guilty as me. So I ask to be pardoned for my crime."

Red sneered at Tak. "And which crime is that, Tak? Let's not forget all of the things you did after."

"Like sabotaging our annual SIR competition, joining forces with the Resisty, and fighting against us in battle!" Purple counted with his fingers, using an extra finger from his other arm when he ran out. "Let's take a look at all of that then, shall we? Play the scenes!"

"As you command."

The central Brain obeyed, and more images flashed across the screen of Tak laughing insanely as she sabotaged the competition, joining forces with the Resisty and fighting alongside the Meekrob.

Dib's face appeared briefly on screen, and Zim heard the boy holding his breath. Zim assured him all would be all right and to keep his disguise on.

Zim fixed his gaze on Tak again, who remained as defiant as ever, until he saw it, on her left, a figure of an Irken like a shadow. It definitely wasn't cast from the room's lighting.

The figure moved its hands inside of her I.D. PAK, and Tak trembled and clutched her side. Neither the Brains nor the Tallest noticed.

"There, you see. I was right," Purple said proud. "Now, do we have a ruling?"

"Fighting alongside enemies in battle, sabotaging an annual event, and abandonment of post are serious offences against the Empire –"

"No…"

"We beg your pardon?" the Brains asked all at once.

"I won't hear any of it, of how _wrong_ I was."

"Well you have no choice in the matter, Irken Tak. It is up to us if –"

"I DON'T CARE WHO MAKES THE RULES. I planned to end all of that the day I fought against you all!"

"Really, you only have yourself to blame, Tak," Red remarked.

"Or maybe _Zim?_" Purple said, and they both laughed.

"Don't. Utter. His. Name…" Tak growled.

Purple gave her a furious look. "You're not the only one here with a grudge against that sorry excuse of an Irken, Tak. Though you don't see us rebelling against the whole of the Empire, do you?"

"It's all just a part of her disruptive programming. Control Brains, determine her ruling," Red ordered.

"I'm not _defective_."

"That's not for you to decide," Red said venomously.

"I demand another trial…"

"And to what avail? You can't wipe away your entire history, Tak. That's the Brains' job…"

Tak glared up at Red hatefully, and then a green flash shot across her eyes. "You… you think you're so smart, just because you're _tall_… PATHETIC! I'm ashamed to even be considered a part of this race. You value something as irrelevant as height to determine your rulers. You're all doomed! Destined for misery, I can assure you, just as you have bestowed upon me! I won't rest, not even from BEYOND the grave until every single one of you are DEAD!"

"She's going insane!" Purple screamed.

"I'm sure you would love that, my TALLEST! Rwahahaha!"

"Get this formality over with!" Red roared.

"By the blazing star of Sirus Minor…" Zim uttered next, turning pale as he watched the apparition seize control of Tak's PAK. "It's not Tak…"

Dib was silent as his eyes were glued on Tak. He turned to Zim. "Wh…what? What do you mean?"

"Tak isn't saying all those things! It's something else."

"Who?"

Zim gave him a long, hard look, and he seemed to understand.

"Whoa… she's possessed… somehow. What does it look like?!"

"Irken…"

"… An Irken ghost…" Dib echoed.

"I have to stop this. I can't let this opportunity slip by. I… I never would have thought… a spirit, an _Irken_ spirit…"

"What are you going to do?"

The guards grabbed a hold of Tak as she cackled insanely. The Control Brains hovered close.

"We have our ruling. Irken Tak –"

"Wait!" a voice yelled from the crowd.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: sorry to end it on that little cliffhanger. **

**The Control Brains ruled out that Zim was the most incredible Irken to have ever lived, because the data from his PAK messed up their programming. And then he rode the Massive for ten minutes. He was still decreed defective. But will Tak?**

**Irkens only have twenty characters in their alphabet, leaving out the last six, U, V, W, X, Y, Z! So what is Zim's name? 'IM!?"**

**Let's just assume that Irkens' spoken language sounds like English. I know people have postulated that the gibberish spoken between Zim and GIR in Mysterious Mysteries is the Irken tongue, but I think it's just supposed to be random gibberish. Human characters have used a similar gibberish too in the show. It's a theme throughout IZ. **

**I'm sorry if you or someone you know suffers a mental illness. Life is hard, just be there for them :)**

**Zim says in the episode for the trial "Existence Evaluation? But they're for criminals, and space clowns..." or something like that. I don't want to cheat and look up the script for accuracy. That's why there's two references to 'space clowns'. Of course, you can read a transcript for The Trial online, or find the Youtube video of the cast at InvaderCon II reading it out. Very funny.**

**The Trial served as inspiration for this chapter, and it's written very similar. The Control Brains' first bit of dialogue here is the same from the script, I've just changed Zim's name for Tak's.**

**You can look up concept art for The Trial on Zim wiki, or just type "Invader Zim concept art - The Trial" in Google images. I'm sure something will come up. You'll see what the Control Brains look like, and the metal plates covering Zim's face (I think they just hover before his face). Tak had on a pair here too. Hopefully a different pair.**

**When you think about it, The Tallest are giving everyone rude gestures when they hold up their hands, since they only have two fingers (and lack the thumb). I guess that goes for all Irkens. Let's all pretend it's for Nick for canceling the show (how naughty!)**


	6. Fate worse than death

**A/N: hello! Here is chapter five. As a heads up I should mention trigger warnings. A bunch of talented writers have told me recently that I should always use them. So there will be strangling and cursing. But on a plus side I think this chapter has a nice canon feel to it in some parts. It's a lot like the Nightmare Begins, and you'll see why. **

* * *

><p>...<p>

Skoodge wandered aimlessly through the dark halls of the Pike of Judgement. It wouldn't have surprised him if he were the only soul there. But what was that shadow that passed by in his peripheral vision?

Skoodge turned around and inspected the corner where he was sure he saw… what did he see? He shrugged it off, telling himself that Irken ghosts did _not_ exist, and carried on down the halls.

He had to find her. Invader Tenn had to be here somewhere. He heard voices in the hall up ahead, and stopped short in case they were guards.

"It's just so sad. Tenn and I were so close. I don't think she even knew who I was back there. We stuck with each other through Invader training you know. Not many _Irkenettes _made the final cut for Operation Impending Doom II after all."

Irkenette? What was that? An Irken female? How stupid. There was no separate terminology for the males and females of Irk. Apart from Smeet, that was the only other term. The sexes were equal in terms of strength and capability. They were an androgynous race for a reason. So why did that _clearly_ female voice refer to herself as Irkenette?

Skoodge only remembered one Irken (or Irkenette) who did that during training, and he narrowed his eyes. He peered around the bend, and there she was, Invader Zee, an Irken who humiliated him multiple times during training (though not as much as Zim).

Zee had been talking to a tallish Irken male, who looked down at her considerately. He seemed to be using some power over her, or at least he thought he was, like a charm.

"I'm very sorry, Zee. I couldn't imagine what it'd be like to lose a dear friend… well, actually, I could. I've known so many Irkens who have died during war. Even during training. But it was the ultimate sacrifice they made for our Empire that prevails. No one said galactic conquest would be easy…" the tallish male said in a soft, buttery voice.

"Thank you, Skoodge. You're such a good friend. You really have changed since training. I don't know why, but since you conquered Blorch, you've turned taller and less _ugly_. Shame Tenn's too delirious now to see what you've become. You had _no _chance back then, trust me."

The real Skoodge's eyes popped out as he got another good look at Zee's friend. Well, well, if it wasn't Invader Grappa in all his handsome glory; the poster boy for Operation Impending Doom II. So, Grappa took up his entire identity now?

"Well I have been working out…"

Skoodge growled in a low register and emerged from his hiding place.

"Excuse me, but could either of you fine soldiers tell me where I can find Invader Tenn?" he asked.

Grappa's eyes bulged out once he saw him. Wasn't the real Skoodge dead?

"Who are you?" Zee spat.

"Well, I'm glad you asked. I'm the _real –_"

"Invader Tenn you ask, sir. She's just down the hall in room 7b, next to the cafeteria!"

"Thank you," Skoodge replied, glaring at Grappa as he walked on by. Grappa started to sweat.

"Wow, he was short, and ugly… kind of how like you used to be, Skoodge," Zee said, way before Skoodge was out of range.

"Yes, thank Irk those dark days are over. I sure improved…"

Skoodge ground his teeth together. Not usually one to lose his _cool_, he walked straight back over to Invader Grappa and grabbed his shirt.

"No, not the face! Please! It's the money maker…" Grappa pleaded. All that fame and attention must have gotten inside of his brain meats.

"I conquered Blorch! Me! You hear? So wipe that smug look off your stupid, handsome face!" Skoodge yelled, but soon turned back to his gullible, old self. "Well, not if you don't want to… Good day!" He let go of Grappa's shirt and straightened his uniform.

Grappa fell to the floor covering his face. No wonder he never made the cut for Operation Impending Doom II.

Skoodge met Zee's confused, questioning gaze, and gave her a salute, then marched off to room 7b.

"What a loser… Who was that anyway?"

"My… just my past…"

"Hmm, I never knew your past self could threaten you by the hem of your standard-issue Invader shirt..." Zee said, staring down at Grappa accusingly.

"Just help me up, please. It would be much obliged."

Zee rolled her eyes and pulled Grappa up off the floor. What an_ Irkenette_… Grappa may have the look of a true war hero, but inside, he was a big coward. Invader training was brutal, so how he survived was a mystery. Skoodge was obviously made of tougher stuff.

Skoodge didn't know why he lost it back there. Just hearing Grappa with his horrible, buttery voice claiming credit for _his _hard work made him feel… well, not like a happy, hoppy bunny.

"Those _bunnies…_" Skoodge growled. From now on, Skoodge was a doormat for no one.

He saw an ominous, glowing sign for the cafeteria ahead, and walked over. There it was, on the cafeteria's left, room 7b, with large guards flanked on either side of the door

Oh no… how was he going to get inside there now?

...

Red shivered. "That voice… it_ haunts_ us..."

"It… it can't be. Not again…" Purple covered his eyes in fear of what had to come.

"Wait! Hold the trial!"

A small something came running through the crowd, bumping into Irkens that stood along the bottom row. They still left a considerable amount of space between them and the stage, not wanting to be too close to the freak.

"Hey, watch it!" one Irken shouted.

"He stole my fun-dip!" an Irken female called out.

"I didn't even know they still made those!" another Irken said.

_"Waaaiiit!_ I have a proposition!" the voice of the small, approaching creature yelled once again. A hand waved over the stage.

"A proposition?" the centre Brain said.

"This is rather unorthodox..." uttered the right Brain.

"What does that mean?" the Brain on the left asked.

The creature finally climbed up on stage, and the whole crowd gasped. It was Zim as he held a fun-dip in his hand, licking the sherbet off his mouth. He did look adorable.

"Well, this is familiar…" Purple remarked.

Red nudged him with his elbow. "We really should have considered that exploding head planet."

"Then let's book the next space flight out…" Purple's face was humourless. Red watched him strangely. Suicidal Purple? How very _untall_ of him.

"My Tallest. You have to listen to me!"

"Irken Zim? The most incredible Irken to have ever lived?!" all three Brains exclaimed.

"Aw, how sweet, but enough praises!" Zim waved his hand dismissively at those giant, talking brains.

"Sweet is a word we do not know…" the right Brain said. So much for being _all knowing_ brains.

Purple hovered before Zim. "Why are you even here? We thought we banished you on Earth. Why hasn't all the love destroyed you yet?!"

"Yes, but here I am once again in your tall, glorious presence, my Tallest." Zim bowed out of habit.

"What is it now, Zim?" Red asked, irritated. "Just so you know; we're only asking this to humor you."

"And I expected far _less _of you, my Tallest. It's about Tak." Zim pointed at Tak.

The Irken locked her eyes on him next, as she lay on the floor dazed. The guards were still pinning her down, but she seemed to come to once she saw Zim. Seeing him holding that… that _fun-dip_ ignited a painful memory.

"You!"

"… Hi Tak…" said Zim, avoiding eye contact by all means.

Tak growled. "Don't "hi" me, you worthless runt. I can't believe you're not dead yet!"

"I've been dead, thank you for asking. But I came back… Zim is back!"

"What about Tak?" Red asked.

Zim gave a quick glance in Tak's direction, and noticed her spiritual companion had left. Where? Inside of her PAK? It made Zim feel cold. She was definitely herself again, that's for sure, though slightly more demented than the last time he saw her.

"Well?" Red pushed. He wanted answers, fast.

"Yes, my _proposition_… As you all now know, Tak and I have a long, complicated history."

Tak glared at him as he spoke. Her antennae were pulled back as her purple eyes shimmered.

"After all, I am the cause of her many downfalls. So you can imagine that she really, really hates me. _So much…"_ Zim squeezed his fists dramatically.

"Please, don't sugar-coat it, Zim. I loathe you with every fibre of my being! I wish you would die a horrible, gruesome death!"

"Again, been there... Now, for all the wrong that Tak has caused to me, and to you, my Tallest. And to the rest of the entire Irken race!" Zim directed his arms to the audience.

"Yes, get on with it!" Purple was starting to get impatient.

"I propose that you withhold her trial…"

"What?" Tak said.

"… and give her a fate worse than death…"

"And what would that 'fate' be, Zim?" Purple asked carefully.

Zim stared up at him. His eyes sparked for the tiniest of moments. Purple took a float backwards. He was just _so_ crazy.

"That she comes back to Earth with me… where her suffering will be even more unbearable."

"N-no…" Tak gasped.

"_Yeeesss_..." Zim purred.

"No!"

"… Yes!"

"Stop it!" Red yelled. "An interesting proposition that you give us, Zim."

"So, what do you think?"

"We shall consider it."

Zim was desperate. He had to get a glimpse of that apparition again, the one that looked eerily Irken. It terrified him more than the concept of a human spirit.

He turned to the Brains. "Well, what do the Brains think?!"

"The most incredible Irken to have ever lived has asked us a question," the centre Brain said.

"Well, do we give him what he wants?" asked the right Brain.

"Yes! We will stop Irken Tak's trial in favor of Zim's proposition for no reason! Ha-ha, monkeys!" the centre Brain yelled. It finally lost it.

"No… I… I changed my mind… finish the trial! Give me all I deserve! Just don't send me to Earth with Zim!" Tak was delirious now.

Red smiled harshly. "I see that this is _killing_ you, Tak." His voice was lilting, as always.

"Why didn't we think of this ourselves?!" Purple said. "Zim, despite your psychopathic qualities, you're a genius!"

"I sure am… Now, take her to my ship! I must leave for Earth at once!"

"My Tallest, I beg of you. Please, don't send me to Earth with him!"

"Guards, escort the traitor to Zim's ship," Red ordered, enjoying the troubled look on Tak's face.

Tak started to breathe heavy, as her peripheral vision grew cloudy. She was having a panic attack.

A green spark exploded in her eyes like fireworks, and she screamed out in anguish. "_Noooo!_ I will kill you, Zim, you f**king twit!"

"Uh-oh, here we go again," Purple said. "What manner of word is 'f**k'?"

"It's a disgusting Earth word, My Tallest, and never should be uttered in the presence of Irken royal –"

Zim's airway was cut off. Tak had lunged for the tiny Irken, fastening her chains around his neck from her bound hands. The fun-dip fell out of his hands as the sherbet sprinkled all over the floor.

"Guards! Seize her!" Red commanded, realising he was sparing Zim's life, but it seemed the right thing to do at the time. No need for unnecessary bloodshed.

The guards grabbed Tak and pulled her away from Zim. She kicked and scratched at the air, screaming and growling Zim's name.

Zim glared at her hatefully, clutching his neck, wishing he could inflict more pain on her, but then he saw it again.

Purple eyes did not look back, but dark green. The same type of green that flashed across Tak's eyes before.

The mysterious Irken glared back, fuelled by Tak's anger and hatred for Zim, as if it gave it… no, _her_ life. It was female. Dark green was an Irken trait that had been bred out years ago.

"I _will_ destroy you, Zim. I will have my revenge! It was always about revenge!" Tak screamed in her own voice. This thing partially controlled her. But for how long...

Red was furious now. "Where's the medic? Inoculate her with some anaesthetic. This insanity has gone on long enough!"

A medical drone ran onto the stage and gave Tak a shot. Tak's flailing and scratching soon slowed down as she slumped to the ground.

"She should be out for several hours, my Tallest. She won't be so pretty when she wakes again…" the drone warned.

Red didn't care in the least. "Well that's not our problem. Guards, take her to Zim's ship."

The guards lifted the lifeless Irken like a ragdoll, and waited for Zim. Zim was a little distracted by it all. Tak just flopped down...

Red pulled him away from his thoughts by addressing him next, but his words were muffled. There was a strange ringing like an alarm running through Zim's head.

"Zim, you are now the sole custodian of an Irken criminal. By all means, never let her escape your base, or Earth. If you fail to keep her under control, we will punish you. Take it as a warning. You may now leave."

"Thank you, my Tallest," Zim said, gratefully, and marched the way to the Voot. The guards followed.

Up in the balcony, Dib stared wide-eyed at the stage. Did that whole spectacle really just happen? He shook his dazed head and looked around nervously.

"_Yeah_… I should probably get going…" he said to an Irken male on his right. The Irken gave him a strange look.

The Irken that was Dib gave a toothy, zipper smile, and ran out of the balcony to meet Zim downstairs. He met him at the door, huffing and puffing.

"That was… quite the show… you… you put up back there, space–... _Zim_."

"Not now," Zim muttered. "Just follow my lead."

Dib looked back at Tak's unconscious form in the arms of the guard. She was so lifeless, he wondered if she were even alive. He arrived with two Irkens, and was now leaving with two again.

"Wait, what about Skoodge?" he asked next.

Up on the stage, Red watched the strange little Irken that joined Zim.

"Who's that? He's kinda puny-looking," Purple said. He finally came out of his fear-induced coma. Tak was terrifying. Trust Red to be the one who remained _calm_.

"Who cares… he's not important now. Well, let's go and eat food. I'm starving."

"It sure has been a long half of a day…" Purple replied.

The Tallest were beamed up to the Massive. Now the show was finally over. All the Irkens were ordered to leave the Pike of Judgment so that the janitorial drones could get to work.

...

Skoodge came before the guards and gave a salute.

"Invader Skoodge, sirs!"

The guards looked down at him.

"Weren't you just here before?" one asked.

"Yes, he was, and he was skinnier…" said the other.

"And less ugly…"

"Yeah, I put on a little weight."

"In the last fifteen minutes?"

"The cafeteria food, hey… "

"… Very well. What may we grant for you, Invader Skoodge? The conquer of Blorch deserves that much."

"Access into room 7b, sir!" he saluted.

The guards watched him strangely. Why does he always salute? "Okay, in you go."

The guards moved aside and the doors slid open. Skoodge took a deep breath and entered the room. What would he find in there?

The doors shut behind him, and he yelped in surprise, feeling confined in the tight, cramped room. There were too many wires, and a strange humming sound.

An electronic voice soon asked: "Who enters?"

Skoodge froze. There he saw the large Control Brain in the centre of the room. It had many eyes, unlike the three in the main room, and they were all locked on him. But there, in front of the Brain, was an Irken figure with lowered antennae.

"Tenn!" Skoodge shouted.

The Irken never stirred.

Skoodge ran up to her and gasped. She stared ahead with eyes that held no shine. It made him want to cry.

"What happened to you?" he asked, helplessly.

"I asked you a question: who enters?"

Skoodge answered but never took his sad eyes off Tenn.

"S-Skoodge. Invader Skoodge…" he choked.

Tenn stirred at the mention of his name, and moved her head slowly in his direction. Skoodge felt his heart stop at that moment.

"Skoodge…" she whispered.

"Yes, it's me…"

Her eyes lit up as the shine almost returned. Next, she put her arm and foot forward, reaching out for him, but she tripped. Luckily, the Brain steadied her back on her feet with one of its tentacles.

"Have you come to say your goodbyes, Irken Invader Skoodge?"

"I… no. I'm not here to say goodbye, because you're not taking away her PAK. She's not damaged!"

Tenn looked up at him again. His antennae dropped as she stared right through him. He had never felt this awkward, as his heart was pounding.

The room turned quiet as the Brain mused over Skoodge's words. Its musings gave off the sound of an electronic hum, reverberating through both of their bodies.

"She possesses many exceptional memories; her record is almost perfect. But I am afraid she has deteriorated since her rescue from the Planet Meekrob."

Tenn recoiled from the word Meekrob, and Skoodge noticed.

"No. I won't believe it," he said.

"I have seen the damage myself."

"She can get fixed. She will be a redeemable soldier once again!"

"You make an interesting hypothesis… what evidence do you have to support your claims?"

"I can't tell you, but I can only show you. You claim to require the whole of Irken knowledge, and that of any other species we have conquered. But there is more to the universe than just the Irken race. I've seen it. I've lived side by side with them."

"Are you referring to an undiscovered alien race?"

"Yes, but they're not undiscovered anymore. Look into my PAK, and see these creatures for yourself. There you'll find the answers you seek."

"If that's what you command." The Brain's arms snaked across to Skoodge and connected to his PAK. He was lifted from the ground as Tenn stared up horrified.

The Brain's eyes glowed as it assessed the data from Skoodge's PAK, and released him once again. Skoodge looked a little sick.

"Human beings… is this the proof you have to show me?"

"Yes."

"The little fair-haired child is very refreshing…"

"She is. Her name is Molly. So, what do you think?"

"A destructive species, but… they are something. They have fought many wars…"

"Yes…"

"With each other."

Skoodge sighed. "I know."

"But, they possess a certain entity. This 'caring' phenomenon is not something we Brains are accustomed with. And is it that you 'care' for Irken Invader Tenn?"

Skoodge stopped as his face turned hot. Tenn was right next to him. "I –…"

"And with this ability to 'care', you can restore what was once a skilful soldier back to her former glory?"

"… Yes. I can."

The Brain considered all it had been taught. "Out of curiosity, I will allow you, Irken Invader Skoodge, to take Tenn into your 'care' and restore her back to her former self. If what this 'little girl' has taught you is any indication, then you should do well on your task."

Skoodge was speechless.

"Th-thank you… I don't know what to say."

"Your thanks are sufficient enough. However, if you fail to restore Irken Invader Tenn, then the Evaluation will commence once again."

"Oh… okay," Skoodge replied, disheartened, feeling the weight of his new task on his shoulders.

"If I may be of assistance, I suggest that you carry out this restoration process back on Earth."

"No…" Tenn said. "I… I will not go to another alien planet."

"It's okay, Tenn. Earth is safe. There's not much that our skin can't handle. Human arsenal is pretty harmless."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I _live_ there now."

The weapons were safe enough, but Skoodge thought it best to avoid telling her about many of the foods and liquids of Earth.

"And you're not dead, or damaged…"

"No, I'm much better!"

Tenn considered his claims. "… So you think you can fix me?" she asked, tired.

"I hope to…"

"Why? Why do you want to help me?"

Skoodge was silent now, as he looked down at the floor.

Tenn seemed to understand, and then gave a shaky sigh. "Okay, I … I will go with you, Skoodge."

"I think that's your cue to leave now, Irken Invader Skoodge. Your wish has been granted, from both parties."

"Oh… well, this turned out better than I anticipated."

"I would recommend that you hurry and leave the planet before the Tallest hear about this. I hear they've already boarded the Massive to eat junk food. I rather want to see this restoration process work, merely out of curiosity. We Brains are immune to this 'caring' phenomenon…"

Skoodge grabbed Tenn's arm instantly but she flinched from his touch. He felt guilty about his inconsideration next. What was he thinking?

"Sorry, I should have asked first if I could take your arm, but we have to leave quickly. Zim's ship is at the docking bay; we can make it in time before the Tallest get here."

"O-okay," Tenn replied, nervously.

Skoodge took her arm again and ran out the door and past those guards.

"Thankyouforgrantingmeaccessintoroom7bmuchobligedbye!" Skoodge yelled all in one sentence.

The guards watched him run away very confused.

"You think we should go after him?"

"Is it in our jurisdiction?" the other replied.

"Well we were told to guard the room during Invader Tenn's Evaluation."

"Where is Invader Tenn now?"

"She just ran out the room, with Invader Skoodge!"

"Oh… then I guess we should run after them."

The guards were about to run after the two until a tentacle came through the door and pulled them inside the room.

"You're off duty now, guards. Invader Tenn's restoration process will now shortly commence."

The Brain must really want to see Skoodge's proposal right through to the end. But out of curiosity. Nothing more.

...

"In there!" Zim indicted inside his ship to the guards. They climbed inside that cramped space and tied Tak to the seating area at the back with electric chains.

The guards emerged outside again. "The prisoner is secured safely. Now we must leave. Our services are required elsewhere."

"Yes, now be gone with you, for I must leave this abominable planet!"

The guards stared him daggers after that remark, and then walked back to the Pike of Judgment. Who did Zim think he was? Giving them orders? And Judgementia was not 'abominable'.

Zim climbed up into the ship.

"Zim, I really think we should wait for Skoodge," Dib said, looking around the docking bay. Other Irkens were leaving the planet; a bunch were leaving on a space coach to various drone planets.

"It's too late for Skoodge now, Dib. I'm sorry. I know you two had formed some weird bond the past ten months, but this was Skoodge's decision. You will have to make peace with that." Zim was almost forlorn. Would he miss his chubby friend?

"We never even gave him a chance! For all you know, Skoodge could be right on his way."

"Yes, with Invader Tenn in tow! Dib, I know you're still only a child, but this story does not have a happy ending. Your optimism is precious, but there is no way that Skoodge –"

"Excuse me coming through!"

Skoodge came bounding onto the scene next, making a beeline for Zim's Voot. Invader Tenn followed behind. Skoodge was fast for one so chubby.

Zim was knocked out the way by their oncoming force, falling beside Dib. Dib looked down at him unamused.

"You were saying?"

Zim glared up at him from the floor. "Just get inside the Voot, Dib!"

Dib smiled in victory, and climbed up into the Voot. It was going to be quite the squeeze in there now with four Irkens and one pretend. A little unorthodox, but it should work.

Zim was about to join them inside until Tenn jumped out the Voot, knocking Zim to the floor again. Skoodge's head popped out concerned.

"Tenn? What's wrong?"

"It's… at the back… I'm not sitting inside a ship with that war criminal!" Tenn screamed, trying to erase Tak's unconscious image from her mind. A war that surely cost her life, and there inside that outdated vessel sat an Irken who sided with the very people who captured her.

Skoodge was confused as he looked at the back and saw Tak. He jumped out and joined Tenn. They ran inside the Voot so quickly that they never noticed the war criminal lying unconscious at the back.

"Zim, why is_ she_ here?" Skoodge asked.

"Well, Skoodge, not that it's any of your concern –…"

"It is my concern. She's a criminal and highly dangerous! She is not coming back with us."

"Oh, and who gave _you_ permission to bring back Tenn! Please do excuse my manners, Tenn… You remember me, Zim, from the battle of Meekrob? I played a major part in your rescue."

"…Uh… hello…" Tenn greeted.

"Right, where were we? Oh yes. Who gave you permission?!"

"The Control Brain," Skoodge replied, smug, folding his arms. "Who gave you permission to bring back _her_?"

"The Tallest _and _the Control Brains. Beat that!"

"Huh…" Skoodge sighed. "Look, Zim, we have to get Tenn back on the ship before word gets out about her escape. Do you think you can help?"

"Well, if the Control Brain allowed it, then you have nothing to worry about. They do make most the rules…"

"But it's the Tallest! If they found out I was on the planet and sabotaged–"

"Just get inside, Skoodge. I'm sick of Tallest _this_ and Tallest that! They don't care! You know it!"

"Fine. Then could you please inform Tenn that she has nothing to fear, that Tak won't hurt her."

"Tenn, Tak is now my prisoner by the command of the Tallest. If she tries anything, I will punish her severely. Now get inside the ship!"

"… You don't have to yell…" Tenn muttered, joining Skoodge inside and keeping a far distance from Tak, as far as _far_ goes in a tiny ship.

Now all were inside the ship as Zim sat in his chair. "I've been on Earth family road trips that ran smoother than this."

"When were you on a road trip?" Dib asked.

"Last fall with Molly and her family. Skoodge puked nonstop."

"Oh… I bet they had no idea they took two aliens out for a ride."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

Dib shook his head. His own species will always be ignorant.

Zim started up the Voot, and they finally took off and left Planet Judgementia.

Now en route to Earth. Let's hope the journey runs smoothly.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I hate to say this, but I may give up on this site soon, so that means I will give up on this story. I should have finished it all before I posted, but I got too confident and posted all eight chapters. I'm still currently half way through chapter nine (not a good sign since it's been weeks), and it's not helping that I get fifteen readers as soon as I update and none of them review. Well except for Invader Johnny, who reviews every time. I can always count on you. Ngrey and my guest reviewer have left kind reviews too, and I'm grateful for your help. I don't beg for reviews anymore because it is petty, I agree, but you need reviews to show that people actually like what you write, chapter by chapter. A linear line on a graph isn't much help (correlation doesn't always equal causation, if you know what I mean).**

**Constructive reviews always help. Stuff about my use of adverbs would me beneficial (which are all over the place) and spelling, grammar, and all that other jazz. You don't actually need an account to review. Be kind enough, if possible. Trolling is just horrible, but it's still flattering if you chose to troll me. **

**This sounds like a threat, "I'm deleting this if I don't get reviews," but it genuinely isn't. It's just a fact that I will lose interest, eventually. There are many sites for original stories, and people are willing to read mine. My head is a hive of story ideas right now. Got three, four maybe, that are waiting to be written.**

**IZ has gone quiet in recent years. Back in 2010 it was booming. And in 2011 when I uploaded Clairvoyance. Yet I do sneak a peek at other stories uploaded recently, and some have nearly a 100 reviews! It doesn't bother me when they're good stories, I can make peace with that, but when they're bad I die inside. We all have different opinions and what makes a good or bad story, bear that in mind. It's just even worse when you can't judge your own writing. A writer's peril! **

**Maybe I should try other fandoms, I bet Frozen is booming right now. Yeah, go to what is popular, a great moral. IZ was popular once though... probably still is, just not my stories. I just love IZ, and if someone loves Frozen that much, maybe too much, so be it. **

**I'm such a moaner, but I will get on with things in this chapter now. There's not much to read.**

**Grappa is a whimp who deserves to have bad things happen to him (and his face). I root for the real Skoodge, not the fake one who didn't even make the cut for OID2. **

**Purple's suicide joke is just that, a joke. Like how you would say "kill me now", or "I hope the ground swallows me up", because here comes Zim. **

**On that topic, the exploding head planet thing in IZ is a reference to JtHM when he's in heaven. A planet of exploding heads, or an afterlife? Which is better or worse...**

**Red is my favourite Tallest, but he has remained calm in desperate situations in the show, like in Backstreet Drivers. So sorry if Purple is your favourite. Red came off better here, again. I'm too biased to pass judgement, but Purple is okay too. Yeah, he great... I do think I keep them more in tone with the show here than when I did Clairvoyance. See, this story has one thing that Clairvoyance didn't have. Closer to canon Tallest. A positive. **

**I think it was a bit about revenge. Come on, Tak. We get that you're determined and only want to succeed as an Invader, but you did enjoy ruining Zim's base a little, if not a lot!**

**Notice how the Brains refer to Skoodge and Tenn as Irken Invaders, but Zim and Tak as just Irken? I love the irony. **

**Aliens would be appalled at the things we do to each other, unless they're like us. If it's fair, animals fight too, always have, about many things. Just humans are more complex. We're not really animals anymore. Genus _Homo_ and species _sapien_. Forget all that. Its just a classification used by scientists to see where we stand in the Animal Kingdom, or used to stand... **

**On a lighter note, I hope to see you next week. **

**Toodle pip!**


	7. Space Sardines

**A/N: wow thank you all for your encouragement! I feel blessed to have such support. I won't be going anywhere now; the worst that will happen is that I will put this story on a short hiatus and then return with the rest of the chapters finished. It's so much easier having something written in advance. I just went ahead and wrote Clairvoyance with a rough outline of what I wanted. It worked alright in the end though. **

**To the guest reviewer who risked breaking their computer, and helped spread the message of my story, I'm very, very, thankful for your support, but some of the authors whose stories you reviewed weren't very happy. Don't worry though, I've spoken with one and their fine about it now. We got to talking and even they helped give me motivation. Just from their perspective, they thought it was a new review for their story, and found that it was an advertisement to another author's work. It's not very fair that way. I know you were only trying to do what you could, especially with your computer on the fritz, but there are always other ways to spread the news. You could check out the forums and create a topic there. If you have a dA account, you could do a review. I'm still flattered that you went to those lengths to spread my story's news though. On the plus side, you've helped encourage me to keep writing. So it worked. It may not pull in any more readers, but you inspired me to go on and showed me that my readers truly care about my work :)**

**I always tell myself that I write because I love to. The reason why I got all mopy was because it happened to me before with my old ZaGr. But this time is different. I actually didn't want to finish that one anymore, reviews or not. So I deleted it. I had to post how I felt to see if people would go out of their way to review on this story, in which you all did. So you passed the test. I must still care about this story, because I didn't even give my readers a chance with my last one. Just upped and deleted it. It would have been pointless telling them because I definitely wasn't going to continue. And I'm glad I didn't, because it would have distracted from this story.**

**Now read on. I'm rather proud of the name of this chapter. It's fitting, and you'll see why :)**

* * *

><p>...<p>

"Why are you still wearing that insipid disguise? Take it off!"

Zim eyed the human disguised as an Irken with displeasure, as they were light-years from Judgementia by now.

"I want to try it out a little longer. Besides, you're just jealous. You know your pitiful disguise could never reach the high level of mine or Tak's!"

"Why do we even still bicker like this?" Zim wondered now.

"I don't know. For old time's sake maybe?"

"Meh… old habits are hard to break out of, I guess."

Dib nodded in agreement and looked back at Tak's silhouette under the blanket. By the request of Skoodge, Zim had to put a blanket over the criminal as she lay in a deep slumber. It reminded Zim of a dead body under a blanket, and it made him shiver from the memory. At least George was at peace now.

Tenn sat to the left of the cockpit under a blanket that Skoodge had given her. Skoodge was standing guard over her, blocking the small distance between Tenn and Tak.

Zim had privately informed Skoodge of Tak's situation, and his poor face turned pale. Such a terrifying notion it was to have your PAK _invaded._ It just made his fear and uncertainty over Tak even stronger.

Tenn was still very wary of Tak, though she wasn't aware of the 'ghost' thing. At one time in her life, she would have confidently faced a criminal like that and won the battle; though Tak had proven herself worthy in that regard too. She just never made it through training.

"What are you really planning to do with her?" Dib finally asked, watching Tak's rising chest.

"Oh, she's _still_ going to be my prisoner. I won't lie that I'm squirming in excitement at the prospect. But I need to get to the bottom of this thing that possesses her. Maybe it needs help, just like an Earth ghost…"

"Well it's hardly a _thing._ You said it was Irken."

"Irken-like, maybe."

"And did it never occur to you that Tak might need help too? The last time I actually remember _seeing_ her, she was a dedicated, loyal Irken willing to do anything to become an Invader."

"Being a drone was never enough for her…" Zim reflected, realising it had never been enough for him too. The Brains never got around to Tak's ruling, but would they have decreed her defective like him?

"Tak changed pretty dramatically, Zim. Okay, she was vindictive and determined before, but this Irken possessing her must have taken over her mind and made her 'hate' her own race. Irken society is harsh, but you're all just so obedient, being the little space soldiers you are. I do see why she would have a grudge against you, but to take you _all _down?"

"I always knew she was a bad cookie from the start!"

"But you admit it's a little strange. There must be a little bitterness inside of you too for the Irken race, but you'd never act on it, surely."

"… No. It would be… _disobedient_…" Zim cringed at his own loyalty. It was encoded in all Irkens–some strange DNA sequence that only the best kinds of Earth geneticists could understand.

"It has to be this Irken ghost manipulating her somehow. You said Molly's feelings coursed inside of you, so you should understand what Tak's going through."

"Why are you trying to make me feel sorry for her? She almost stole my mission and ruined my base. Then there's my robot bee!"

"Yeah, but that was then, Zim, when you still cared about your mission."

"You're putting words in my mouth."

"Well, you don't care about it anymore now, do you?"

"No, so there's no need to go and soil your pants over it, Dib. Relax. I_ love_ Earth now!"

"Whatever… just think about all the things I said. And I didn't soil my pants!"

Zim growled and pushed the idea of Tak's suffering out of his head (and Dib's soiled pants). Who cares?

He glanced over at Skoodge and Tenn and wondered about their new living arrangements. How were they going to house an Irken criminal and an ex-Irken soldier in the base? Tak would have her very own section, of course. But what about Tenn?

Tenn pulled the blanket closer. She hadn't used a blanket since she was one minute old (before her personality upload), so it was very humiliating that it gave her comfort.

It just all went pear-shaped for her since her capture on Meekrob. She could still hear the explosions of tiny, malfunctioning SIRs destroying her base, and she shivered. But that was nothing in comparison to what the Meekrob did to her. They claimed to be gentle creatures, using no physical violence against their enemies, but they sure like to destroy them mentally. They thought they were Irk's polar opposite, but in hindsight they were much worse. At least the Irkens on some level agreed that they were destructive, though in the name of 'galactic conquest'.

The Meekrob destroyed her inside, messing up the programming of Irk's greatest soldier.

And now here she was two yards away from an Irken traitor who happily took sides with those monsters that destroyed her.

Skoodge could remember the soldier Tenn used to be, so brave and self-assured of her capabilities, and now here she shook beneath a blanket at his feet. It was disheartening. He always looked up to her back at the academy (being half an inch shorter than her), as he used her as a great example.

That was the soldier Skoodge wanted to be. If he weren't shot out of a cannon during the final sweep, he was going to dedicate his success at conquering Blorch to Invader Tenn, but he never got to say. Tenn weren't even aware of this impact she had on him. She weren't even aware of who he was until the day he rescued her from Meekrob.

There came a horrible gasp from Tak under the blanket, and Skoodge watched in horror. He saw the intake of breath from beneath the sheet, sucking the fabric through to its mouth as he turned cold. The gasp was eerie and very un-Irken like…

"Z…Zim…" he called out.

"What?!"

"I think there's something wrong with the prisoner…"

"She's fine. That sedative should have knocked her right out for a good few hours."

"She's breathing too fast…"

"_Breathing?_ Nonsense. You worry too much, Dib."

"I'm Dib!" Dib said.

"Oh yeah, I get you two kinda confused sometimes… wide body, wide head."

Skoodge watched the fabric over Tak's mouth moving in and out as she gasped unnaturally. Next, she sat up with the blanket still over her head, and her eyes glowed beneath. She started to scream and thrash against her restraints as the blanket soon fell off, revealing those green eyes in plain sight.

"She's a monster!" Skoodge shrieked, shielding Tenn from danger. Tenn screamed too.

"Take the controls!" Zim ordered Dib. The boy, pale-faced, took control of the Voot as Zim ran to the back. The scene was horrendous. Skoodge and Tenn cowered away from the demented Irken.

"She's gone crazy! Her eyes… it's not normal. We're all_ doooomed!_" Tenn cried.

"Do something, Zim!" Skoodge said this time.

Zim faced the possessed Irken, getting as close as safely as possible. He stared into those green eyes of Tak's. She stopped screaming, and watched him back.

"What are _you_ looking at?" she hissed, but Zim could hear the undertone of another voice. This wasn't Tak this time, because Tak was still sleeping...

"Who are you?" Zim asked, face stoic and unwavering. He had faced worse than her.

Tak started laughing, which soon turned into a hideous cackle. Tak always nailed the insane laughter, but this wasn't her signature cackle.

"Tell me who you are! What purpose do you have with Irken Tak?!" Zim wasn't sure why he'd said Irken. It sounded too formal.

"Who's _Tak_?" she said, playfully.

"You're inside of her!"

"Skoodge, what is happening?!" Tenn demanded firmly, but she still shook like a leaf. Skoodge pulled her up and moved her to the front of the ship by Dib.

"It's okay, Zim has experience in these matters."

"What kind of matters? That is not Tak!"

"She's possessed. That's what her problem is, Tenn. You Irkens are normally unaware to such phenomenon, but this type of stuff happens all the time on Earth," Dib told her.

"E-Earth? The planet that we… _we _are heading to now?!" Tenn's eyes were fixed on Dib. He felt like a microbe beneath a microscope.

"Now look what you did, Dib!" Skoodge cried.

"What did I do?" he asked, innocently.

Tenn pushed Dib out of the chair next, and seized the controls.

"Hey, watch it!" Dib snapped. Tenn was strong for such a small creature.

The ship swerved suddenly to the right. Once a skilled pilot, Tenn had no idea what direction she was pulling the ship into now. Just anywhere that was far from Earth.

Zim held onto the side of the ship once it swerved to the right. "Dib, when I asked you to take the controls, I didn't mean to swerve directly to the right!"

"It's not me, it's Tenn!"

"Skoodge! Stop her. She is your responsibility now!"

"I will as soon as you get that freak under control!"

"Well I'm trying! Do something, quick!"

"Tenn, please give Dib the controls back," Skoodge pleaded, nicely.

The Irken girl was dead-set on her new direction. Her eyes said it all; pure terror and whatnot.

"No! I'm not going to that planet! I'm going back!"

"Back to what? Being executed?!" Dib shouted next.

Skoodge glared at him uncharacteristically, as Tenn looked like she'd been stabbed in the heart. Her lips quivered. She looked up at Dib with shiny, watery eyes. Dib was shocked to see the look on an Irken face. Who knew they were capable of such a heart-breaking expression. He felt a little guilty now. But it was for the best. Tough love they say.

"I was not being executed…" she said, softly.

"No, but they _were_ going to kill you. You'd rather go back to a race that thinks you're broken?!"

"Who… who are you, anyway?" Tenn asked angrily. "I've never even seen you before."

"I'm –…"

Skoodge cut him off. "He's a friend of me and Zim."

If Tenn found out he was a native of Earth, it may unsettle her even more. Furthermore, he had been one of the rebels during the battle of Meekrob, so she may remember him from that. His name obviously hadn't rang a bell.

"That would explain why I have no memory of him."

"… Yeah," Skoodge said a little hurt at that remark. She never had any memory of Skoodge during training either.

"Please give Dib the controls back," he asked of her once again. "He knows Earth very well."

"Why?"

"Because, he… he just does."

"Earth is a great place for recovery; we'll at least give you a chance before you're deemed 'unfit'. Trust me," Dib assured.

"We? You talk as if you're a native of this… _Earth_."

"He's just lived there a while," Skoodge replied. "How you holding up back there, Zim?"

"We're just staring each other out for the moment, but she won't back down. Zim won't back down either."

"You can't save her, little _defect_… she's gone. A pity, she had the most potential out of the whole of your race," Tak said.

"You don't have to do this, fuel her with hatred!"

"I'm not fuelling her; she already had enough _fuel_ in her tank. But you were the one who started it all. The ignition… I can feel it, how she _despises_ you. It's delicious."

"I know you're Irken, and you need help. I've helped many others like you before, but this time is different. We're the same now..."

Tak growled, "We are nothing alike! All you Irken scum sicken me! You follow a blind cause in the name of an Empire that hates you! From the day you were spawned, you were doomed. All of you!"

"Had you lost your PAK?" Zim asked, eyes wide and probing.

Tak stopped and hissed. "PAK? Just a show of how hollow you all are! You can't even function without a mechanical object. Part machine and part organic. The most superior race indeed! But… who needs a PAK when you can live forever inside another?"

"Leave Tak alone!"

"Why, do you care for this pitiful creature before you now? You didn't the first time, so why don't you just leave her to rot again!"

Zim never said another thing as those green eyes stared back. They were judging him and then he finally felt the guilt. The fun-dip was just so delicious at the time. It was hard to hear her crying for help.

"I feel Tak coming to… so I hope you're _prepared_. I'm not lying, she really, really hates you, and she isn't too pleased right now."

"I'm not afraid of Tak, or you!"

The green-eyed creature laughed hysterically and finally left Tak's body. The Irken slumped back again. Now her purple eyes opened slowly.

"Where… where am I?" Her voice was groggy from the sedative. She sat up and met Zim's gaze.

Zim was pleased to see her purple eyes looking back, and it disgusted him.

She bared her teeth. "You… you won't win this battle, Zim..."

"… Shut your noise tube. I preferred you unconscious."

She tried to reach out to him but her chains held her back. Zim pushed her against the seat. She was none too pleased. How dare he touch _her_.

"As your new prison lord, I command you to keep still and quiet for the rest of the journey."

"And what will you do? Seriously?"

"I will have my SIR sing "ten green bottles on a wall" to you on a loop in a confined area until your head explodes!"

"You're pathetic…"

"Well there's always the 'Frozen' soundtrack… Now that is the ultimate evil! Rwhahahaha!"

Tak shook her head, wishing she could die in her very spot. That Zim and the Tallest. She will make them pay...

Zim returned to the cockpit and pushed Dib out of the seat. Which was just too bad because he had only just got it back.

Tenn sat beside the seat now and away from Tak. She was still too close for her liking to Zim, but he was the best choice she had. Either Zim or Tak occupied one end of the ship, and Zim's eyes weren't turning green right now. Skoodge never left her side.

Dib wandered over to Tak in awe, as he couldn't stop his feet. This was _her. _The Irken whom he had learnt so much about from just her ship alone.

"Hello, Dib..." she greeted.

Dib stood stock still. "How did you –…"

"Your mannerisms all pertain to that of a human, and yours in particular were very distinct. It's not complicated, really. Besides, I think I would recognise my own creation. Only an idiot would think you were 'Irken'."

Tenn glanced over at them as she watched Dib carefully. Not an Irken? And forget the fact Tak called her an idiot (she was convinced Dib had been Irken). So what was he?

Tak met her gaze next as the two stayed like that for a while. Tenn glanced away at last, showing the first sign of weakness. But Tak saw that hateful look in her eyes.

"Well, if it isn't Invader Tenn… I actually feel sorry for her. She got caught up in the whole nasty affair, not her fault."

"Shut up, traitor! You don't know me; you don't know what I've been through!" Tenn yelled, rising to her feet as she trembled.

"I can assure you that I've been through worse…"

Skoodge rose to his feet now. "Zim, tell her to stop!"

"Shut up, all of you! It's like driving children around space! Dib, leave Tak be!" Zim ordered.

"No, I finally get to meet the Irken again who created my ship… I miss that ship."

"I believe you mean _my_ ship, Dib," Tak corrected.

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that."

"Though of all the human backyards it could have landed in, I'm glad that it landed in yours. You have proven yourself worthy."

"Don't let her pull you in, Dib! It's a trick! Don't go to her dark side!" Skoodge shouted.

"I'm not," Dib said.

"Oh, Invader Skoodge, just another sad case. You didn't deserve a thing the Tallest did to you too."

"Be quiet you!" Skoodge pointed his finger at her.

"But you know I'm right..."

Skoodge stopped as Tak's words finally got inside of his head. He gripped his skull and shook it vigorously.

"Leave him alone!" Tenn snapped, surprising Skoodge and making him all happy inside. How many times he had wanted to hear her say that when Invader Zee picked on him back at the academy.

"I'm just giving him a few home truths. Both of you, like me, were cast aside. And Zim too, but he's too ignorant to realise it!"

"Zim was not cast aside. He quit!" Zim declared.

"Yes, but we didn't do what you did, Tak," Skoodge snarled.

"All in a matter of time…" she replied.

Skoodge and Tenn scowled at her now, but it only seemed to amuse her.

"You must still be mad about the SIR competition. At least I decided to spare your SIRs. Too bad Zim's won in the end, hm?" Tak said, making awful small talk. Turns out she wasn't very good at it.

"Ha-ha, yes! GIR was superior to all your stupid SIRs!" Zim just couldn't help himself.

"That's not what we're made about," Tenn said.

"Then what?"

"You're a despicable creature, Tak, and no matter what the Empire did to you, it doesn't excuse what you did." Tenn sat down next to Zim again. Skoodge joined her shortly. Looks like he's going to be following her around a lot now.

Tak didn't have anything to say to that. So she kept her mouth shut, and languished in her pain. Life was going to be hard from now on.

Earth finally became visible, and Zim sat back relieved "Finally, we're home!"

"I never thought I'd be so happy to see that pristine blue planet…" Skoodge said. "You're going to like Earth, Tenn, I'm sure of it."

"I hope you're right, Skoodge, because there isn't much choice for me anymore. Earth is all I have left."

"The humans seem a little stupid at first, but they're all right once you get used to them."

Dib looked at Skoodge. He didn't look to happy about his comment. "Um, hello, there's a human right here!"

"I knew you weren't Irken!" Tenn pointed at Dib. "Reveal your true form, and let me see what these 'humans' look like."

"That's not a good idea..." Skoodge warned.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Uh… hmmm," Skoodge mumbled.

"They're too hideous. The Voot's lighting will only distort his features and freak you out!" Zim said, now realising that it was best that Tenn never found out Dib's identity. To be sat in a vessel with two rebels would be too much for her. She may do something unpredictable.

"Hey, we're not that hideous!" Dib pouted.

"Oh, you are…" Zim assured. "Like shaved gorillas!"

"Stop that!"

"They just don't want you to know, Tenn, that not only do you sit inside an outdated vessel with _one_ rebel, but that you sit inside with two. He's one of the strange life forms that joined forces with the Resisty, and rebelled against the Irken Empire," Tak finally confessed.

"W-what?!" Tenn moved away from Dib.

Dib looked very guilty now about something he couldn't even remember doing.

"Oops. Was I not supposed to say anything?" Tak purred. Her mouth grew into a cruel sneer.

Zim gripped his temples and then gave them a vigorous rub. Planet Earth couldn't have come any sooner. This had been the most stressful of trips, and it was twice as long as the journey to Judgementia because of some stupid Time Warp thing.

Space made absolutely no sense.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: let's do the time warp**–** ... Grumpy cat "no!"**

**There you have it chapter six (though seventh here. I don't include the prologue).**

**Just thought you all should know, that it was going to be Zim originally who was possessed. That's how this story was birthed, because I got the idea for this sequel at about the fifth chapter in Clairvoyance, and never realised how much character development Zim would have gone through in the end. It was always my goal, but he really changed... I outdid myself. I thought it would just not make sense if he suddenly got possessed and went all crazy again, especially with what he'd been through. His story was pretty much finished at the end of Clairvoyance, hence why this sequel could have gone on unwritten. But then Tak came to mind. While writing Clairvoyance, a part of me kinda wished I had written her in for no apparent reason. Just to have her there so I could have a go at taking her character on. She wouldn't have made sense in the first story. So that's why I chose her in the end. Her time to be written in the supernatural world of my fanfics has come. Her story wasn't finished in the show. The Irken spirit was always female though, even when initially inside of Zim... there's a twist to her origin that will come later. And I mean _later_ later, because I've not written it yet. But do stay tuned...**

**Tenn was thrown into the mix too because, I don't know if any other IZ fan has ever done this, or anyone ever, but I always used to fall asleep during my avid fan days imagining stories about the characters in IZ. Crazy alert!**

** I've done that since I was very young with original characters and stories, and still often do it now. **** One was about Zim, Tak, Tenn and Skoodge being on Earth together like roommates. Tenn was always helpless and broken after the battle, and Skoodge was trying to help her out. It can make you an insomniac though if you get too into the story... I've even created Irken OCs at one point, who will never leave my head. They're just personal and for me only. Irken OCs often get a bad rep in the fandom, which is one reason why I won't write or share mine (though I do try my best to not make them sueish). I have however seen some brilliant, well thought out Irken OCs, who don't just serve to be an enemy or lover of Zim. They even make brilliant stand alone stories. The only Irken OC I'll ever write is this freaky ghost one... but it doesn't count, coz she a ghost... Okay it does count, as she is technically an OC and Irken, well, once... **

**Tenn is coming off as the victim in the war, even though she was on Meekrob to invade. Though she still didn't deserve the treatment. Think of the Invaders as just the pawns in the war. If I knew more about chess, I would probably have a better metaphor, but yeah, something, something chess... My dad plays, often by himself, so I should learn...**

**It's hard to decide on what personality to give Tenn. It's even harder to get a feel of her in the show, because she is too busy screaming and stuff, but seems to love the word _doomed_ (like the rest of the characters on the show, who scream also). I guess she's pretty standard and boring as an Irken personality (not like Zim), though this breakdown she is suffering from has given her more of a rough edge now and a character. I try to make her authoritative in part, because she was, respectfully, the best Invader. They sent her all the way to Meekrob, and she even got sent the Megadoomer. We all know how that ended...**

**I don't know if anyone noticed, but I never revealed whether Tak is defective or not. I just don't want to. It's a speculation in the fandom, and I want to keep as that. A mystery.**

**In the plot for 'Top of the Line', Tak, as you all know, sabotaged the SIR unit competition, but it says that she spared Skoodge's, Tenn's and Zim's SIRs from certain doom. GIR wins of course. What was Skoodge's SIR called? I seem to recall Chipz, as I read a fan script a while ago for the episode on the IZFAS site. I hear Soapy Waffles were in the process of making an episode. I've not heard from them in a while (I liked them on facebook). Are they still doing it or have they finished already?) Let me know!**

**And there is another obligatory Frozen reference for you. You can't escape it, ever. So you better get used to it (kidding, it's the last one, I promise because a joke always runs its course...) **


	8. Interrogations

**A/N: here is chapter seven. An old character from Clairvoyance makes a special appearance here. Read on to find out who it is...**

* * *

><p>...<p>

The next few days had been a living nightmare. Zim had to lock Tak deep inside the base in a secluded area. It had a viewing window on one side like in an interrogation room, so he could keep an eye on any fluctuations. Tak knew he was behind there, since she wasn't stupid. So far that green-eyed creature hadn't made another appearance, and Zim was getting frustrated.

The door to the room opened next, but Tak never turned her head. It was GIR with a plate of food. Tak had been restrained in one corner first, lest she held Zim's poor little SIR at ransom.

"Hello, Kat!" he greeted.

"It's Tak… oh, forget it," she said.

"You wanna _Deelishus__ Weenie_?" GIR held a weenie up in his hand.

Tak looked at the weenie and sighed. A painful reminder of her old, failed mission.

"No, they sicken me."

"But it's so _deelishus_," he said, wiggling it in her face.

Tak kicked the weenie out of his hand as it hit the viewing window. It left a horrible, greasy smudge on the glass.

"I know what you're doing, Zim, feeding me those awful weenies to remind me of my failure!"

Zim's voice came over the intercom next, "Actually, they were to remind you of my victory, but yeah, if that's what you want, Tak!"

"You just got lucky!"

"Uh-_huh. _Look, you gonna eat them wieners? GIR went out and bought them all for you… If you don't eat them he will cry, and scream. You remember last night with the waffles?"

"No. I am not going to eat them, Zim."

"Then go ahead and starve, because they're all you're getting until you confess! Tell me if you are feeling _strange_…"

"I was fed three meals a day back in Irk's prisons..."

"And now you're fed three dozen _wieners_ a day, hahaha!"

"And don't forget 'em waffles!" GIR shrieked, eating a weenie.

"Yes, and waffles!" Zim said.

"Fine…" Tak grabbed a weenie and took a small bite. It burnt her mouth at once, so she spat it back out. How could he make her eat this filth?

"You never answered my question. Are you feeling particularly very _strange_ today?" Zim asked.

"No, and I didn't the last two-hundred times you asked me. What do you care anyway?"

"Because… because… uh…"

"I'm sorry I asked. Your stammering is infuriating… but then you've always been infuriating."

"Quiet! Zim is trying to think! Do you remember the day you started to feel… well, less like Tak?"

"No… Why do you keep asking me all these ridiculous questions?!"

"That's none of your concern! Now I must leave… GIR! Join me in the lobby."

"But we has no lobby!"

"Just meet me upstairs!"

"Okie dokie!"

GIR left the room as Tak was finally alone. Too bad Zim didn't release her from her restraints. She sighed and bowed her head forward.

...

Tenn was sitting on the couch in the living room with her arms around her legs, while Skoodge was making her a refreshing Earth drink in the kitchen.

She hadn't left that area for days. At first, she sat behind the couch to find a dust snowman made by GIR. The first time she even met GIR she went hysterical, thinking he was another malfunctioning SIR unit. Well, he wasn't far off.

Skoodge stirred the tea and brought it into the living room to give to Tenn.

"Here, I made you some tea!" Skoodge chirped brightly.

"Thank you, Skoodge. Is it… _safe_?"

"Oh, very. The water is purified, so no pollutants. Zim said unpurified water on Earth burns like the devil."

"Who's the 'devil'?" Tenn asked.

"I'm not so sure, it was Zim's expression, but I think he may be Zim and Dib's teacher… I joined the skool for one day, but Mr. Diablo Jnr _scared _me… Apparently, their last teacher was even _scarier_."

Tenn went quiet as she held that hot mug in her gloved hands. Despite her losing her Invader title, she still wore her uniform. So did Skoodge for that matter, and Zim. It was a hard fashion to grow out of.

"So… are you liking Earth so far?" Skoodge asked.

"Well, I haven't even stepped outside yet. It's just a little harmless agoraphobia. It'll pass."

"It's perfectly acceptable to be afraid. I mean Earth is an unfamiliar planet. You should feel wary."

"Skoodge, I was trained for years to lose any fear towards unfamiliar, alien worlds. I shouldn't _be _afraid. I should be out there, looking for any weaknesses in the planet's native fauna."

"Well, no, that is… _was _Zim's job. Earth was his assigned planet after all."

"We were both there, Skoodge. Earth wasn't a part of Operation Impending Doom II. The Tallest just tried to get rid of him; Zim just stumbled upon it by accident."

"And how lucky was he! I mean, just look at that Earth sky! So red and smoggy…" Skoodge sang, directing his arm out the window.

"The smog is the by-product from all the factories, but when we first entered the Earth's atmosphere, it looked a pale blue. Well, from the outside looking in…"

"I did hear the Earth sky was blue once…"

"And I assume there was once more ice at the planet's northern limit? I saw it from space. It was alarming, like a missing jigsaw piece in a puzzle."

"Yeah, most of it's melted by now… But come on, Earth isn't so bad."

"This is a dying world, Skoodge. I have yet to be convinced of its wonder. I am sorry, I know it means something to you, but these 'humans' are destroying themselves. They didn't need Zim invading them after all..."

"Don't use that talk around Dib. He'd defend this planet till his head explodes!"

"I wish you had told me who he was earlier. It's bad enough that _she_ is around, but to have an alien rebel too? His involvement with the Resisty further adds to my displeasure of this planet."

"Dib made a mistake, but that doesn't make all the humans accountable."

"Well, there are billions of them on this rock. I suppose you're right."

"In fact, there's a particular_ human_ I want you to meet. Her name is Molly, she's amazing! Can pat her head and rub her belly at the same time!"

"What a convenient skill…"

"I know! I can't wait to introduce you two. It's her birthday today. I wanted to see her sooner, but we decided to surprise her at her birthday party later. The last time I saw her, I thought it would be my last."

"Oh… Why?"

"I thought that I was going to be imprisoned once I rebelled against your Evaluation… or worse."

"You… you willingly traveled to Judgementia, knowing that you may never see the planet you love again, all just to…_ help_ me?"

"… I guess I did."

Tenn was speechless now, feeling an overwhelming sensation rising inside her chest. It was strange; she'd definitely never had this _feeling _before.

"… I suppose I owe you many thanks, Skoodge."

Tenn took a quick sip of tea next, and never met his eyes again. Now she felt bad for dissing the Earth. It must be worth something if Skoodge loved it so much.

The awkwardness made Skoodge very uncomfortable. He brushed his antennae back. "Uh… you're welcome. It was my… pleasure."

The silence next was deafening. Luckily Zim emerged from the toilet with GIR in tow.

Once Tenn's antennae picked up the metallic vibrations of GIR's clicking feet, she jumped out of her seat and hid behind the couch. Again.

Zim finally entered the room. "Hey, where's Tenn?" he asked.

"She's behind the couch…" Skoodge replied, sighing.

"Again?! Skoodge, this has to stop. She can't go hiding behind the couch every time GIR says "boo".

"Boo!" GIR said.

Tenn whimpered behind the couch.

"Leave her alone. SIRs ruined her base. She has a good reason to be afraid of them."

"But _GIR?!"_

"I'll come out as soon as he puts that saw in his head away, or those lasers, or when he stops trying to explode the base…" Tenn said.

"GIR doesn't do those things!" Zim snapped. How dare of her to make assumptions about his robot.

"I sure do like to explode!" GIR peeped.

"You're not helping, GIR!" Zim yelled.

"It's all right, Tenn. You have nothing to fear. GIR is perfectly stable…" Skoodge lied, touching the bite mark on his head that GIR gave him. The scar was ten months old now, but that horrible day still lingered in his mind. GIR's chomping sounds still _haunt_ his dreams.

Tenn's face peeked out from behind the couch. "Are you sure?" she asked in a little girl's voice, or more appropriately_ Smeet's_.

"_Yeah_… this is just a… _dog bite_…" Skoodge reassured, pointing at his scar.

"Oh, that's not so bad…" Tenn emerged from behind the couch at last, and stood beside Skoodge.

"Hi! Look what I can do!" Foam spewed out from GIR's mouth next until his head was a cloud of soap. All that was seen of him was his glowing, cyan eyes. He pulled out an electric toothbrush next, and put it inside his pretend ear. _"Ahhhhhh!"_ he shook.

Tenn was traumatised, like she just watched the creepiest Vine ever on the internet.

"It's horrible, make him stop!" Tenn cried, hiding behind the couch again.

"GIR!" Zim warned.

"Oh man," GIR said, wiping the foam from his face. He put the electric toothbrush inside his mouth now as he shook once again.

"Skoodge, I am leaving for Molly's birthday party very shortly. If you wish to bring Tenn, then I suggest you act now. Pull her out from behind the couch, or something."

"I can't do that. She's afraid, Zim."

"If she can't handle GIR, then how is she going to cope with a house full of six-year-old Earth children?"

"I… don't know."

"It's okay, Skoodge, you go on. Just take that explosive little machine with you!" Tenn shouted.

"But I really wanted you to meet Molly, Tenn."

"Maybe some other time…" she replied. She sounded very regretful, but she'd made her decision.

Skoodge sulked. "Okay… Come on, Zim. We have to take GIR with us."

"No, GIR is not coming!" Zim announced, firmly.

"But _whhhyyy_?" GIR cried.

"Because you will eat all the candy!"

"Waaahhh!" GIR screamed.

Tenn covered her head from the sound. So did Skoodge. Zim was used to it by now.

"That's it. Bob!"

Bob the cat emerged from the kitchen. "Yes, Irken caregiver?" he asked.

"Sit on GIR's head. That should keep him quiet for a few hours."

"Must I? His head is awfully sticky, and last time I lost a patch of fur."

"So that's why GIR had a patch of cat fur on his head that time. If you do as I ask, I will bring you a whole tray of sushi home!"

"I do like sushi. Very well…" Bob jumped up on GIR's head and the robot soon calmed. The cat curled up and fell asleep. It's true, cats really do sleep anywhere.

"Aw, kitty go purr, kitty go _puuuurrrr_…" GIR soon fell asleep standing up with a ginger cat for a hat.

"Hmm, strange… Well, let's go, Skoodge." Zim left through the door.

Skoodge met Tenn's gaze behind the couch.

"Are you sure you will be all right?" he asked, looking very concerned.

"I will, as long as that furry creature stays on that killing machine's head!"

"He should do. Well, goodbye. We shouldn't be out for too long. Do… do try to come out from behind the couch."

"I'll try, Skoodge. But I'm not so sure if I can…"

Skoodge breathed a sigh and left through the door, leaving Tenn behind the couch and GIR asleep with a cat on his head.

...

Molly stood over her stack of presents, wondering which one she would open first. She spotted an envelope and shook it vigorously. Money! She knew it.

She made a small tear in the envelope. Another little blonde girl came over to her left. She was different to other children, and held a grownup demeanour about her.

"Molly!" the little girl shouted.

She looked up and met the eyes of her Aunt Molly. Being one year older than her in appearance now, she had gained a few inches over her, but that didn't stop Molly senior from folding her arms, and giving her a look as if to say "explain yourself".

"Sorry, Aunt Molly."

"Your Aunt Lily will be crushed. She got you that envelope."

"So, does it have money in it or not?"

The angel girl narrowed her eyes sharply. "I can't tell you that, Molly."

"I know… I just really miss Zim and Skoodge. I wanted to use the money to make a long call to space. It's really expensive to call someone on another planet… They've been gone for weeks! I just hope they come to my party later."

"Don't worry, Molly. You will be seeing them very soon."

"How do you know? Are you using some kind of angel super power?"

"Maybe… now be a good girl, and wait till all your party guests arrive. Then you can open all your presents!"

"Yay!"

"Uh-oh, baby Johnny just discovered a power socket. Have to go, Molly."

"Bye Aunt Molly!"

Molly senior rushed to the baby's aid as he was about to put his sticky fingers in the socket. He was crawling now, and very fast, too.

"No, Johnny junior, that's very bad. The socket is dangerous and you could get very hurt," Molly senior warned.

The baby giggled up at her while she scolded him softly. Being his guardian angel, it was her job to look out for him. He was a typical ten-month-old now; plump, teething, and crawling about the house at an alarming rate.

"Johnny, get away from there! You silly little baby." His mother came over and picked him up. "I can't take my eyes off you for a second."

The baby grabbed her hair next and began to chew on it.

"Ew, he's getting slobber all over your hair, Aunt Lily," little Molly said.

"It's all right, just his teeth growing through."

"I miss Kenny's chewing from when he was littler. Now all he does is scream and have tantrums. Look, he's having one now!"

The woman and child looked over at the toddler, and sure enough he was acting up again once his Mommy took his crayons away. Drawing on the walls was not acceptable. Unfortunately, it will be at least another two years until this finally drills into his head. The pre-skool days…

"Aw, he just wants to write a big "happy birthday" to his big sister on her special day."

"He can't spell, it's all just scribbles, Aunt Lily."

"I know…" her Aunt replied. She sat down on the couch and placed baby Johnny on her lap.

Molly senior watched over her family smiling. Then a knock came at the door. She knew who it was because of her angel super power, and felt the butterflies in her stomach. So she opened it and there he was, her old extra-terrestrial friend whom she owes her afterlife.

Zim looked alarmed once he saw her, and then slightly ashamed. He scratched the back of his head, and looked the other way.

"Oh, hello, Molly _senior_… I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"It's my niece's birthday party, and baby Johnny is also a guest. Of course I'd be here, silly."

"… Have you done something new to your hair?" he asked, making awkward small talk.

"No," she laughed, "just come on in, Zim. You're always welcome here." Molly senior glanced up at Skoodge next, "Oh, hello again, Skoodge."

"Hey, I can still see you! Great. We were afraid that I'd lose my clairvoyance, you know, because I'm no longer on death's trail."

"No, _you_ were afraid, Skoodge. And you're not clairvoyant!" Zim snapped. Now he made his way inside as Skoodge followed.

Molly senior moved aside for them both. Zim looked back at her. He looked so guilty. "Uh, we can catch up again later, Molly. I promise. I haven't forgotten you…"

"It's okay, Zim. I know you haven't."

Zim smiled at her and soon found Molly, who was playing with her younger brother. She drove a small toy car around the floor as he tried to grab it. Whatever baby wants, baby gets…

Zim stood over Molly junior as he coughed for her attention. "Uh-hum."

Molly stopped what she was doing, and dropped the toy car as she gave him a hug. Baby Kenny grabbed the car at last, but dropped it again as it lost all value now that his big sister wasn't interested.

"Zim! You're back in time for my birthday!"

"You bet, Earth Smeet! Here, Zim has gotten you a gift for your sixth year of life."

He gave her a small radio piece that fits inside the ear. "What is it?" she asked.

"It's a radio that transmits the thoughts of those closest to you. It's similar to the technology I used on Biscuit's collar," Zim replied, hating that name. His cat's name was Bob. Of course that was the name that Molly will always know the feline as, which was given to him by her late grandmother.

"So, I can read minds now?" she asked again.

"Yes."

"Cool!"

The little girl put it in her ear, and tested it on her nineteen-month-old baby brother.

"That stupid lady, taking away my crayons! I will show her. Tonight, while she sleeps, I will flush all her makeup down the loo! Oh, I'm about to make a poop…"

There came a small sound like a squeak from the baby's butt next, and Molly junior covered her noise. "Ew!"

Molly senior was laughing.

Zim gasped and brushed the smell away. A brilliant defence mechanism indeed.

"There's someone else here to see you, Molly," Zim said, moving aside as Skoodge came into view at last.

The fat Irken looked sheepish as he waved to the girl. "Happy birthday, Molly," he said.

Molly stared dumbstruck, and then ran up to him and knocked him down.

"Be careful, Molly," her Aunt Lily warned, holding baby Johnny up to her face as she made him laugh.

"I knew you would come back, Skoodge!"

"And I'm glad that you were right. You have such amazing foresight, Molly," Skoodge replied breathlessly, as Molly hugged him tight.

The girl finally sat up and gave him some breathing space. Skoodge sat up too and fixed his wig. The only adult in the room was Aunt Lily, but she was too busy with the baby to notice his wig slipping off.

"Did you save your friend?" Molly asked.

"Yes, she is safe… I would like for you to meet her someday, Molly."

"In outer space!" little Molly shouted. She had no idea Tenn was on Earth.

Skoodge, Zim and Molly senior all turned silent as Aunt Lily finally looked up.

"Outer-space?" Aunt Lily laughed. "You and your imagination, Molly," she rolled her eyes, and continued bouncing the baby on her lap.

"Yes, such an imaginative mind. Wow, he has gotten really big," Zim said, looking at the baby amazed.

"I know. He's just beautiful, isn't he?" Lily replied, looking down at the baby with a love that only a mother could have for her child.

Zim blamed it on the hormone 'oxytocin, often responsible for the sensation of 'love', but it was something much deeper than that, and he knew it. Science had no place here at the moment; leave the endocrinology lesson for another time.

"May I hold him?" Zim asked. He could still see a version of himself twelve months earlier writhing in disgust at the idea of holding an Earth baby. He was still self-conscious of the germs, but he could always bathe in disinfectant later.

"Sure," Lily said, passing him the baby. "I'm just going to use the bathroom. Do you think you can keep an eye on him for five minutes, Zim?"

Zim felt a little nervous, but he answered her question. "No problem. Not like I don't have much experience with… _babies."_

She smiled sweetly, and left for the bathroom upstairs.

Zim held the chubby thing in his arms, face to face with its inquisitive little gaze. Its frowning expression was quite adorable as it tried to figure him out. He was a far cry from the tiny thing he was back at the hospital ten months ago.

"Hello, you've certainly _grown_ since we last met. Is it the food? Earth baby food has always looked a little suspicious to me…"

The baby still frowned up at him as he talked.

"I guess you are kind of cute. I really do hope for your sake that you don't turn out like that namesake of yours… Molly senior will have to keep the _knives_ at bay lest that ever happens. Remember, we all get homicidal thoughts from time to time, but it's best to keep them locked away, deep inside… unless you can find a giant battle mech. They're actually quite handy. Can remove candy from a very stubborn vending machine."

The baby's bottom lip wiggled next, and Zim couldn't understand why it pulled that face. Was it something he said? Do babies even like battle mechs? He did as a Smeet.

Next, it emitted a high-pitched sound from its mouth like a raptor, and Zim was terrified.

"Oh, oh, he's making typical Earth baby sounds, someone take him off me!" He passed the baby to whoever would take him. There were no takers… Skoodge edged away as if he was holding a bomb.

The babe spat up on him, and Zim groaned. Great, he didn't plan on smelling like stale milk today.

Molly senior came to his aid at last. "It's all right, Zim. He just has an upset tummy. But it's all gone now..." she cooed, rubbing beneath baby Johnny's chin.

"Yes, on my _uniform_."

"Sorry, I should have taken him off you."

"And what would your poor dear sister, Lily, think when she returns from the bathroom and finds her baby floating in mid-air? No, it's best that I keep hold of him for now."

Baby Johnny was smiling up at Zim now, and Zim gave him a frown. "What, you find my frustration amusing?"

He kept on smiling and laughing, and Zim couldn't ignore the overwhelming, warm feeling spreading through his body. Why does it have to be so precious?

Lily finally returned and took the baby off him. "Thank you, Zim. You've been very helpful."

"Glad to have been of assistance."

Zim met Molly senior's eyes and indicated that he would like to talk with her.

"So, should we catch up on that talk that we agreed to earlier?"

"Did you just say something?" Lily asked, playing with her son on her lap again.

"Erm… no. I was just talking to myself. A habit."

"That's all right," she replied good-naturedly, and continued playing with baby Johnny.

"Upstairs in Molly's room would be best," Molly senior said, and Zim followed her up to the bedroom.

They went through into Molly junior's bedroom, and Zim sat in his favourite woven chair. "The last time I was here, I was saying goodbye to Molly before we left for Judgementia."

"Why did you go back, Zim?" Molly asked. "I thought that you had given up on your old mission to take over the Earth?"

"I have, but I'll still always be Irken, Molly. I'm allowed to venture out there every now and then. I went to a trial."

Molly sat on the bottom bunk, and watched Zim eagerly. "A _trial_, like the one Nny had?"

Zim cringed," Don't say that name."

"Why? I thought you two liked each other now?"

"All right, I don't mind him _that _much. It was similar to his trial, though I wouldn't know for sure, as I weren't at Johnny's. According to _destiny_, his went rather well. Splendid you might say. Well, that was how she put it."

"Her name is Julia, Zim," Molly corrected.

"Or the 'tofu' lady... She helped me realise that if I became _vegan_, I could get away with not touching that meat filth! Though I've found that some Earth vegetables burn my skin too... Anyhow, where was I? Yes, this trial was also very similar to one that _I _had a while ago."

Molly gasped. "You were put on trial?!"

"Yes, why is everyone so surprised about that? Do you all not know Zim?"

"Sorry, it's just that you never told me."

"Well it must have slipped my mind when we were out hunting your killer during 'Operation Taco', and getting you to heaven… which was all pointless now in hindsight. You came right back to Earth in the end."

"This was my destiny in the end, Zim, to be on Earth."

"I think we are straying off the subject again. Let me start over. The reason why I attended the trial was because it was for an old friend. Well, you could call _her _that."

"Her?" Molly asked.

"Yes, that was what I said, right?"

"I just didn't expect a 'her'."

"There are many female Invaders, but this one is really, really bad. Her name is Tak. I hate her! She was never even an Invader, all because of me, but that's another story. She tried to steal my old mission, but ever since she failed, she has gone on to do some pretty messed up stuff."

"Like what?"

"She rebelled against her own society, and sabotaged a SIR unit competition, among other things..." Zim left out the details of her abandoning her post on Planet Dirt, since he did pretty much the same thing on Foodcourtia.

"So that's… _bad_?"

"Yes!"

"But if the Irkens are bad, then isn't it good that she rebelled against them?"

"No, it is not. It is disloyal, and very unorthodox."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know, but as I sat there in the crowd, I saw it…"

"Saw what?" Molly asked, very intrigued now.

Zim met her fervent blue eyes. "A ghost, an _Irken_ ghost… I'll give you a moment to let that sink in." Zim sat back in the seat.

Molly didn't look surprised one bit.

"You're not surprised? An Irken ghost, Molly. Just think of the possibilities!"

"So, I've seen many strange creatures on the other side, Zim. Everything that dies lets go of an energy force, as She taught me. I've even seen Irkens over there..."

"You have?! Who? Maybe I was responsible for their deaths…" Zim wondered, and then came the shame.

"Lots of smaller ones, and then two bigger ones."

"You mean like," Zim gulped,"… _tall?_" There was going to be a long cue of angry Irkens waiting for him up there once his energy force escapes his Irken shell, with bats…

"Yes, very, very tall. Do you know them?"

Zim thought about Tallest Miyuki and Spork for a moment. No, it couldn't be them, right?

"You said you even saw heaven when you met your guardian. So why are you surprised to see an Irken ghost?"

"You're right. When you really think about it, an Irken has every right to linger on. I mean, how many Irkens have lost their lives in the Pike of Judgement?"

"The Pike of Judgement?"

"Just one of many of Irk's conquered planets. It's there that Irkens are deemed defective and have their PAK's erased of all their memories, all to be forgotten and left out of the _Collective_."

"That's so sad, all their memories gone like that?

"Like they never existed…"

"Well, what happened at your trial?"

"I became known as "the most incredible Irken to have ever lived", but don't worry about me. It's my friend _Tak _you should worry about."

"Oh, Zim, I'm sorry. Did she die?"

"NO! And I wouldn't even care if she had died, but something is using her body like a parasite. It's taking over her personality, and it's not… good."

"So what did happen to Tak?"

"I convinced my Tallest to let me take her home, and now she is sitting inside a secured area deep inside my base. All just a part of my _amazing_ plan."

"You locked her up?!"

"She's highly dangerous and very unpredictable, possessed or not. She is not to be trusted."

"Maybe she is suffering, like I was… I think you should help her, Zim. Whoever this ghost is you have to get it out of Tak. The ghost needs to move on."

"That's the thing… we don't really see eye to eye, so I can't even get close enough to her to talk to this ghost. And the way she scrunches her face whenever I approach her infuriates me, as if_ I_ smell bad. She's the one who smells like shame and disappointment!"

"Help her, Zim. I know you can. Tak may be bad now, but you used to be bad. And you and Dib used to be enemies too, and now your best friends."

"Well, I wouldn't say _best_ friends. I just can't bring myself to care about Tak, but at the same time, I know it's the right thing to do. She needs help…" Zim sighed. "Well, it was pleasant talking with you, Molly. Dib has been of some help too, but he marvels over Tak too much whenever I mention her."

"Why?

"He did own her old ship, and teamed up with her during the battle of Meekrob."

"Dib went to space and fought in a space battle?"

"Yes, but he remembers nothing of it. I'll tell you about that another time, Molly. I hear some guests arriving downstairs. I think the party is about to begin. So let's go."

They both left Molly junior's bedroom and went downstairs to join the other party guests. There will be a piñata, shaped like an alien, alien themed food, and alien décor. A little obsessive, but it makes a change from all those pink ponies and princesses.

...

Tak nearly bore a hole into the wall as she stared at the same spot, over and over, trying to make out faces that weren't there. There was a bloodied up face like Zim's, she noted, and it satisfied her to picture him like that. Boredom brings out the insanity in us all.

How she hated that little parasite. She would escape out of this prison, eventually. Zim made a huge mistake. Bringing her back to Earth just made her escape all the more possible. This wasn't exactly a high security prison; it shouldn't be too hard. She just had to pick her moment.

Then it hit her all of a sudden, like a strange wave of nausea that builds up inside of her spooch and makes its way to her head like a hot trail of fire. And it burnt like hell.

She stooped her head forward and gasped frantically for air. Not again… she hadn't had any blackouts for days. So what had brought them back? They come and go, but whenever she had bitter, negative thoughts they would usually show. It almost seemed that they were coming from some external source, but that was preposterous.

Next, she felt her PAK whirring uncontrollably. She groaned in discomfort, keeping her head bent forward. When she looked up again, her eyes were glowing green, watching the camera in the corner with hungry eyes.

She smiled at it and licked her lips, then gave a high-pitched cackle, which rebounded against the glass of the viewing window and all the way back to her.

Tak awoke with a fright as her eyes returned to purple, darting across the room anxiously. A laugh had woken her from her stupor, she was sure she heard it. There was definitely the presence of another in the room...

"Who's there?" she asked. No answer came. Maybe it was Zim over the intercom, but she knew she would recognise his insane laughter anywhere.

She curled in on herself, as much as her chains would allow, and closed her eyes, shaking. It was probably her imagination, or a crazy dream from the blackout. That was the best explanation.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Molly is back! Was you happy to see her again? It's nice to write for her again and see how her afterlife is going. I'm proud of what she has become. You create these characters like their your children, and to see them happy and moving on is a great pleasure. Especially with Molly's old case. Don't think I'm weird. I've spoken with other writers who feel as if their characters are real on some level too. Put it this way, Molly found me, not the other way around (characters often find writers). I know what my initial inspiration was for her (I'm not saying any more) but any story about a murdered or lost child is a tragedy to mankind. **

**It's cool to see how baby Johnny is too. He's growing up to be a handsome little boy. Zim's moment with him was adorable.**

**I imagine baby Kenny's inner monologue to sound like Stewie from Family Guy. That's why he said loo. Stewie has a British accent in a way (I don't say loo, I just say toilet). **

**(Spoiler, don't keep reading if you haven't seen all of Game of thrones) ****I always imagined that when Joffery died, as soon as he went to heaven, all of the people whose deaths he was responsible for would be stood in a line with bats, waiting... Ned would be at the front of the line. It would be a pretty huge list. I doubt he'd even go to heaven (I hate Joffery!)**

**Zim's line would be pretty big too. Though Zim couldn't even hold a candle to Joffery in terms of evil. I just realised, if some of you are as young as thirteen, then you shouldn't even be watching Game of Thrones. It's rated 18. It's not for the faint of heart (but the theme tune is stuck in my head a lot lately).**

**If you've watched the Christmas special for IZ, just look at the Arctic (or North Pole) when Zim dumps Dib out in the Jingle Jail. Global warming is canon in IZ (okay, it is not), but look at the ice. It's all broken up, and bear in mind it should be winter up in the extremes of the north in the episode! I wrote about the effects of global warming on birds for my dissertation (yes, very boring stuff), and... it doesn't look good. That's all I'm going to say on that. This isn't the place for a debate.**

**In the commentary for 'The Wettening', Jhonen says that it's the pollutants in the rain water that burns Zim's skin. It makes sense. I can't imagine why water would burn any creature, on or off the Earth. If life evolved on other planets, it would need water, too, exactly in the same state as ours was. Without water, life would cease to exist. Irkens must have started off somewhere.**

**On the subject of meat, I reckon it's just all the stuff we pump animals with before they're slaughtered that affects Zim. Again depending on if their ancestors were carnivores, eating the flesh of another animal wouldn't burn Irkens either. I mean natural meat though (maybe it's just something to do with Earth animals). Plus, it was processed meat that hit Zim. Maybe it has something to do with that.**

** Wieners are processed too, which is why Tak's mouth got burnt. Only a little though. She has better resistance than Zim.**

**Meats of evil...**

**The Irkens pretty much live off processed food too. Just ours is dangerous for them.**

**The part where GIR turns all soapy and puts an electric toothbrush in his ear is based off a Vine. It's creepy, but I laughed like crazy when I first watched it. Just search Happy Cloud.**

**I never said last time, but Bob's personality I based off my cat when she was still around. She was becoming a fussy eater towards the end. She had to be put to sleep because she wasn't well. She would only eat fish and shrimps :( This is a different cat to the one I mentioned in my a/n in Clairvoyance (the one who helped me reflect on grief. That was Mindy). Fuffy only died last November. I was heartbroken. I did get to spend time with her and say goodbye, unlike my last cat.**

**She was fifteen in the end though. They're both together again at last. Over the Rainbrow Bridge :)**

**On a happier note I will update again next week :)**


	9. Green Eyes

**A/N: hello everybody! I would have uploaded last night, but fanfiction had a 503 alert: it wasn't working. So annoyed! But I'm back again. I should mention that this chapter is over 7000 words, longer than my usual length. That's what made this one an easy read compared to the prequel because it's shorter. Well read on... oh, one more thing, some old canon characters will be back. Try to think about who they might be... One more OC from Clairvoyance has a cameo appearance too. **

**To the guest reviewer; that sounds like a really good story you've got in the works, but I won't be able to write it. Only because of this; no one else can write your story for you. Well, no, that's not entirely true, other people _can_ write your stories for you, hence why ghost writers exist. Many celebrities use these of course. I have considered ghost writing as a profession to be honest (because I'm broke right now) but I don't think I ever could when I put it into perspective. It would still be their story, what they say goes, and their characters, etc... Fair enough, we're talking about Zim. We both love him, he belongs to neither of us, and we could probably make something creepy and beautiful with what you've got planned. But writing is a solo thing for me (because I'm an introverted loner). I don't think I could even write a collaboration (maybe, who knows). Plus, I do have a lot on my plate too, you're right. My life is hectic with finding work, writing this and my three other original stories. I wouldn't find the time to give your story justice. I'm very flattered that you came to me though. I would suggest that when the time come swhen you can write fanfiction, that you give it a go. **

**If you don't ever get around to writing it for yourself, then I hope you find the perfect person to do it. My advice is to find active, current writers on here who write for IZ and JtHM, or just IZ. They may be interested in your idea. Give it a shot. I'm just sorry that it couldn't be me. Good luck with your story. I'd be happy to read it :)  
><strong>

* * *

><p>...<p>

Zim watched the footage with wide, open eyes. The lights of the monitor reflected back in his large orbs, where Tak's small image could be seen.

She didn't do anything for five hours. Well nothing exciting up until about three in the afternoon, when Molly's party started. Zim took note of the change in her posture once the creature took over, and sure enough there were those green eyes staring at the camera.

Those green eyes taunted Zim as they looked up at the camera, but he wouldn't let them beat him. He would come out victorious in the end, and most of all Tak. He had to get this thing out of her somehow, lest it takes over her entire brain.

Did Zim even care about that? He hated Tak, and she hated him all the same, but she at least deserved to be saved. Molly senior was right. He had to help a dear old friend... but most of all, he was rather intrigued by Green Eyes. A new nickname he had given the creature living inside of Tak.

Who was she, what was her history, and why is she still lingering, especially inside of Tak of all things? It was all very bizarre.

Skoodge had entered the room, as Zim rewound the footage over and over. He looked behind the viewing window to see Tak sleeping. Well, it looked that way, but she did have her eyes closed. Skoodge was still uncomfortable being in close proximity with her. Sure, the glass was there to protect them all. But it was still too close for comfort.

Skoodge glanced back over at Zim, troubled. The smaller Irken hadn't even bothered to look up yet. He was too immersed in the footage.

"Zim, you've been watching that footage for hours now. Give yourself a break."

"I can't. Ever since Tak's arrival in the base, there has been no appearance of Green Eyes. But when I finally leave Tak alone, she appears yet again."

"Who is 'Green Eyes'?" Skoodge asked, apprehensive.

"The creature living inside of Tak, or Irken."

"And you are sure it is female?"

"Yes!" Zim slammed his hand on the panel, pressing the switch down to the intercom by accident. He didn't seem to notice. "I know the disproving look of a female Irken, and that's what I see in _Green Eyes_… she disproves of Zim."

"Stop calling her… _it _Green Eyes. You're starting to scare me now. You're becoming... _obsessed_."

"Well someone has to unravel the mystery of this creature living inside of Tak, Skoodge. Look at the footage, watch the sudden change in her eyes."

"Hm, okay," Skoodge agreed, reluctantly. He sat beside Zim on the spare chair.

Tak opened one eye as she listened to them speaking over the intercom. A creature living inside of her? What nonsense.

Once again, Zim reversed the tape to when Tak bent her head forward, gasped a few times, and then looked back up and released a high-pitched laugh. There was a remarkable change in her eyes, Skoodge couldn't disagree.

Tak heard that laugh again over the intercom, coming from the footage on the other side of the window... The hair on her antennae stood up. So, she didn't imagine that creepy laugh in the room? It really did happen, because Zim and Skoodge were watching a playback of it. It angered her that she should be kept inside of here while they watched some private footage of her.

The smaller Tak's eyes on the screen turned back to normal at last, as she looked about herself nervously.

"Who's there?" she asked.

Zim snapped his head towards the screen. He hadn't watched it to this part yet.

Tak's expression on the screen was truly frightened for a moment. Zim tried to ignore that annoying, prickling sensation inside, one he knew all too well now – empathy. He could never feel sorry for Tak. Never, ever.

Skoodge watched Tak's small image sadly. "Wow, I never thought I'd say this about an Irken rebel, but… she looks like she really needs help. Look at her face. That's pure terror right there," he pointed at the screen.

"I know what pure terror looks like, Skoodge. I have brought that very same look upon many faces myself."

Tak rolled her eyes behind the glass, and laid her head against the wall. _"You wish, Zim."_

"I'm just saying. It looks like I'm not the only one who has an Irken to fix. Mine, of course, was a respectful Invader, but still… good luck, Zim."

"Yes and a _good luck_ with your 'fix-a-broken-Irken' project too. Now leave Zim alone. I have a ghost problem to _fix_."

"If you say so. Well, goodbye, Zim." Skoodge got off the chair, "Oh, now I remember why I came down here. I'm thinking about taking Tenn outside the house to see Molly and the rest of Earth. Would you like to join us?"

"I'm too busy. Besides, threes a crowd. I feel like a third party with you and Tenn, like some obnoxious best friend in a stupid human rom-com. Why did I even make that comparison? I hate romantic comedies!"

"What are you saying?" Skoodge laughed. "There is no_ romance_ here. This is merely professional."

Zim watched him with tapering eyes. "A year ago, Skoodge, romance was a very foreign term to me. I even postulated at one time that it was a pain-based sensation. I was not wrong; there is pain involved, but not so much on a physical level. Since then, I have felt… _things_… mostly to do with my spiritual, human clients. Their feelings often coursed through me…" Zim reflected on his memory of Robert; the loyal boyfriend who stayed by his girlfriend's side until he finally crossed over. "You never met Belle, did you?" Zim almost sighed with regret.

Tak listened intently. Zim's words never made much sense. Spiritual? Ghost? What was he talking about? And who was this 'Belle'?

"Um, I don't think so…" Skoodge replied as equally confused as Tak.

"She was the love-pig of an old client, and she… was something. From my old, Irken perspective, she was just an inferior human in my eyes. But ever since I felt Robert's feelings, I saw a whole new side to her. It's hard to explain. She became 'attractive' all of a sudden. In my defence her facial features did have all the mathematical proportions. I calculated them myself! It's all in the math, Skoodge!"

Tak almost burst out laughing. Poor Zim, he's definitely losing it. Beauty can't be quantified; it's all in the mind. Trying to look at it objectively would just make you look stupid.

"So, what are you trying to say, Zim?" Skoodge asked warily now. He didn't like where this was leading.

Zim met his eyes again with a serious, deadpan expression. "What I'm trying to say is that during my time here on Earth, I have come to recognize the look and _feeling _of infatuation."

"And what does that have to do with Tenn and I?" he asked.

"Don't play dumb with me, Skoodge…" Zim said.

Skoodge started to sweat. Tak almost felt sorry for him. Zim was really harsh, putting him on the spot. He may as well throw in a spotlight.

"It's not that way! Tenn and I are just friends!"

"Exactly. I'm sorry to tell you this, Skoodge, but if human rom-coms have taught us anything, it's that the 'friend zone' is a very, very bad place to be. Once you're in there, there is no escape! Good luck with your 'courting' anyway."

"I don't _need _luck… wait… not that I want it, anyway… Ugh, fine! Don't come with us. We'll have fun without you!"

"I have better things to do than watch your failed attempts at courtship."

"You're really mean, Zim. I only came down here to ask for your help with Tenn. I don't care about any of that 'friend zone' or 'failed courtship' dookie. I just want to help her! She's struggling to cope, and I'm finding it hard to help her settle."

Skoodge remembered what the Control Brain had said, that Tenn's Evaluation would continue if he didn't restore her to her former, Irken glory. So he had to do something, and fast.

"Very well, if you want my advice, then I suggest you have her meet Molly. The girl has a certain charm about her. Though it may overwhelm her, so do it in stages."

"That's all I asked for... Well, that's what we're going to do. I'm thinking about taking her to the park first."

"Bad idea; the park has strange humans lurking in every bush. Just ask Dib, it's his favorite pastime. How about the city cesspool?"

"You are kidding, right?"

"Yes! Now get out of my office! I mean, work station… Wow, I really am becoming a hermit."

"…_ Yeah_. Well, see ya later, Zim. I hope you get a hold on 'Green Eyes'."

Now Skoodge finally left the room, and Zim was alone at last.

He noticed the intercom switch had been on the whole time, and instinctively looked at Tak behind the glass. She still looked asleep, but he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Irkens don't sleep in the_ traditional_ way. There was a lot he had said that he didn't want her to hear, and some of it was personal. Such as _Belle_… He cringed, since Tak was technically his ex-girlfriend in a way. Well, she would have to find out about the other stuff eventually.

Zim pulled the switch down, and finally left the room. Twelve hours he had been in there.

"Idiot," Tak muttered, and proceeded with trying to sleep.

But sleep never came… She didn't wear those steel-capped boots for nothing if she didn't at least 'question sleep', like some other infamous character...

...

Skoodge emerged from the toilet to find Tenn crouched under the table. GIR was sitting in the living room watching the Scary Monkey show. His laughing could be heard from the kitchen as the monkey would growl, or drool, or do whatever monkeys do.

Tenn whimpered at the sound of his psychotic laughter, hearing those distant explosions again on planet Meekrob after she found that package full of SIRs…

"Tenn? What are you doing under the table?!" Skoodge yelled.

"Quiet or he'll _hear_ you," she whispered back.

Confused, Skoodge walked over to the kitchen threshold and stopped. There he was, GIR, watching some ugly simian on TV. Skoodge would never understand Earth's broadcasts.

He glanced back at Tenn sadly, who remained crouched under the table.

"He's been watching that monkey for hours… It's never ending!"

"Yeah, he watches that monkey a lot. I think it's like his God or something. I saw him bowing to it once."

"Why hasn't Zim deactivated that thing yet? He should have down it months ago. It's well beyond repair now."

"You might not believe it, but Zim actually cares about that crazy SIR in the next room. Does this answer your _query_?"

"But Zim's just as psychotic and deranged… I guess now I finally know my answer."

"Yes, but he does have the ability to care somewhere. So, are you going to come out from under there?"

"... No. I feel safe down here."

"I was thinking about going to the Earth Park today. Would you like to join me? I got you a disguise." He put on the table a dark brown wig and brown contacts. "I always figured you would be a brunette."

"I told you, Skoodge, I am not leaving this base, even if it does belong to Zim. It's Irken, it's made of Irken technology, so that's where I'll always feel safest. I don't want to bump into any _alien _fauna."

"The humans aren't so bad, though I can't speak for the rest of the Earth's fauna. Some dogs can be dangerous, but just don't make eye contact. They see that as a threat. Cats are okay. Birds can be a little crazy too, and bees. Squirrels and seagulls I'd stay far away from."

"Don't squirrels live in the park?"

"Yes."

"And you're asking me to go there?"

"… Um, I guess I am. Wow, that's not a good start."

"No. I'm staying right here. Please, don't make me go there, Skoodge."

"But you have to. Remember what the Control Brain said? Your Evaluation will continue if you don't get yourself fixed, and I'm willing to help _fix _you. But you have to do something for yourself. Help me help you."

"It's hard... and then the more I think about it, the Evaluation… it doesn't really bother me anymore..."

"Well it bothers me. You're the best Invader I've ever known and I won't see you deteriorate, Tenn. Forget those stupid Meekrob! They're all gone now, anyway."

"But they still had the last laugh… look at me, cowering away from some malfunctioning SIR in the next room. It's not like the old me at all."

"I'm sure the old you is still inside of you somewhere. Now come out from under Zim's kitchen table, and let me show you the wonders of Earth!"

Tenn thought it over. Was her old, former self still inside of her? The Irken who always received the highest scores during training, who came out of all of Irk's most brutal training programmes even stronger than the last? Could it hurt to make the first step to recovery, by facing any alien fauna like the valiant soldier she once was?

She gave a tired sigh and finally crawled out from under the table. The first step… "All right. I will come with you to the Earth Park."

"Thank you, Tenn. It wouldn't have been the same without you." Skoodge gave her shoulder a light, friendly punch, and she looked up at him strangely.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Uh… nothing. Let's go. GIR will be too preoccupied in his monkey show, so he won't even notice us leave."

"Well I'll take your word for it, Skoodge."

Next, the hum of the elevator rose up from the toilet, and Zim finally emerged.

"_Whoowee, _that was a long, messy twelve hours… Zim must have some poop now!" He marched to the fridge, opened the fridge door, grabbed a poop can, opened the can, and then slugged it down his thirsty throat. "_Ahhhhhh,"_ he gave a long sigh. He noticed Skoodge and Tenn watching him then.

"What? I can't drink a can of poop in my own home?!"

"… We never said that you couldn't –" Skoodge started.

"Then why are you both staring at Zim?!"

There was an awkward silence next. Zim took one more gulp of his can of poop, and then threw it in the recycle chute (Zim is into saving the Earth now, so that's why he has one). He went over to the toilet again to go down into his lab.

"Have you really been watching that rebel for twelve hours?" Tenn asked him next.

"What? Are you speaking to Zim?" he replied.

"Yes. Why are you so fixated on that rebel?"

"Maybe it's because of the same _thing_ that me and Zim discussed earlier…" Skoodge said, slyly.

Zim growled. "We dated for five working days, Skoodge. Now stop bringing it back up!"

Tenn ignored their foolish talk, but it wasn't like she understood any of it anyway. "It's about that thing that took over her mind, isn't it? I may not know Tak very well, but I know that was not her. For one her eyes turned green."

"You saw Green Eyes too?!" Zim asked surprised.

"Yes. You couldn't miss them. They were even glowing beneath the blanket that covered her."

"Skoodge couldn't see her… but _you_ could. Strange."

"Her?" Tenn asked, nervously. "You are referring to Tak, aren't you?"

Zim was about to answer her question, until Skoodge intervened. "Well, the park awaits us, Tenn. Hopefully the squirrels are feeling merciful today, and won't attack our heads."

"All right, but I still want to know what's going on with Tak. I will find out."

Tenn put on her brown wig and slipped on her human eyes. She looked convincing enough. Skoodge followed her example, and put on his Johnny Bravo wig and sunglasses. Next, they went through the living room, tiptoeing behind GIR, and finally left through the door.

GIR didn't even look up, and when he heard the door shutting behind them, he called out, "Leprechauns?"

When he saw no leprechauns, he sat back down and watched his scary monkey again.

Zim looked at GIR and shook his head, then finally descended the elevator to go and probe Tak some more. Hopefully Green Eyes will make another appearance.

...

"Now let me rewind that for you again…"

Zim rewound the footage for Tak on a screen inside her prison. He still sat behind the glass, controlling the footage from his panel of many switches and buttons. He held the remote in his hand tiredly as he pressed the rewind button. The remote's signal went right through the glass.

"Why are you showing me this?" Tak moaned. "I had enough the twentieth time!"

"Do you not _see_ the bright emerald shade of your eyes?!"

Tak paused and looked up at her green eyes on the screen. "No! I see not this emerald colour of my eyes; only my deep purple shade! Now please, I beg of you, stop showing me this ridiculous footage!"

"You're lying! I know you see it too, and Tenn, but not _Skoodge_..."

Tak ground her teeth and gripped her head, trying to control her anger. But she failed.

Now she extended her PAK's legs and shot a laser beam at the screen. The screen tipped to one side and crashed to the floor. She could have also shot at the glass to escape, but it's indestructible from inside.

"Hey! That's my monitor you're shooting at!"

"I don't care. I don't care for you, or your stupid questions. I just want you to leave me alone."

"Never!"

"Why are you doing this? Don't you think I've suffered enough?"

"Because you're sick! There's something seriously wrong with you, Tak, and it has something to do with those _green eyes_ of yours!"

"This again? You're crazy, Zim. Insane! You're the one who is sick! _Ghosts_ aren't real!"

Zim turned quiet. "Who said anything about a ghost?"

"I heard you talking to that gullible idiot over the intercom earlier. You mentioned ghosts and spirits. I don't know what's happened to you, Zim, but you've definitely lost it. Any shred of sanity you had has gone!"

"I'll assure you that they are very much real," Zim growled, in Molly senior's honour, and for all of the other ghosts he had helped. "As real as that thing possessing that PAK of yours!"

"… What?"

"You heard me. I know you, Tak. You're not stupid. I can see it in your eyes now, and on your face on the footage. You know something is wrong, and I'm going to help you!"

"Why?! Why do you want to help me?!"

"Because it's the right thing to do. I promised someone dear to me that I would help, whether you like it or not!"

Tak laughed, "And who on all of Earth _and _Irk could be dear to you, Zim? You don't care about anything other than yourself."

"That's the catch; she isn't of _Earth _anymore, she comes and visits."

"From what planet?"

"Oh, it's not a planet…"

"Another universe perhaps?"

"Try the afterlife! I'm done with you now. You may find it hard to believe, Tak, but your voice is just as grating on my antennae as mine is on yours! And I hate your fake British accent!"

"What British accent?!"

"Ooh, look at me, I'm Tak and I'm all British and stuff. By jove! Blimey! Bloody 'ell! Cheerio! Toodle pip,_ mate_!"

"What's wrong with you?" Tak asked, appalled.

"I don't know… I think talking to you is doing something to my brain meats. I'm gonna go and rest my head a while. But I'll be back! Cannot brain… no longer… haz… the _dumb._"

Zim slumped out the room and finally left Tak alone. She couldn't be any happier.

"Blimey," she said, "he really has lost it."

She settled down and looked over the smashed screen on the floor. Maybe she did take it too far, but Zim was annoying and very unfair. But she did see those green eyes. There was no missing them. But a ghost? How ridiculous. They don't exist.

...

Skoodge and Tenn walked through the park together. In Skoodge's head, it was like they were in that cartoon sequence from Mary Poppins as he whistled a merry tune. But in poor Tenn's, it was a very different story.

The humans were strange creatures. Every often, she would come across a human who really scared her. One had too much ink on his arms. Skoodge told her they were tattoos. Another had pins on his face. She learnt they were piercings. Yikes. Humans voluntarily put holes in their skin. Skoodge explained there were many cultural differences of Earth, and everyone had their own personal tastes.

She would ask why some humans were dark-skinned, and others lighter. Again, Skoodge explained the many cultures. There was nothing wrong with a bit of diversity. That was a good start.

She noticed each and every human, though they pretty much looked the same to her at first glance, had their own characteristic, something that distinguished them from the other. Not like the people of Irk at all.

"So they all wear different clothes?"

Yes. Some clothes are deemed acceptable, but others are not. Some do abide by certain dress codes. People of medical and military profession must wear a uniform. Others, from a non-professional background, will still abide to certain dress codes. These codes are strictly due to fashionable custom. Some will follow them, and others will develop an individual style. I do notice, however, that when a certain famous human wears an item of clothing, many will follow their example. The Earth media is very influential on this race. Of course, fashionable trends tend to change over time. Right now, the _eighties_ have made another comeback for the 1000th time, but with yet another modern twist. I think the humans are running out of ideas…"

They walked past a willowy, red-headed woman next, who just happened to be Belle; Zim's old love-pig. The park was one of her favourite places after all.

Tenn took note of her short skirt. "And what about that female? Her lower garment only reaches her thigh. Is that acceptable?"

Skoodge looked back at Belle, and noticed a few of the human males ogling her, and other females scowling as she walked past.

"It depends. The males seem to enjoy her exposed legs; they are rather long. But the other females find it unacceptable. May be because their legs aren't as _long _as hers and they see the men watching her. Jealously is the word that I'm looking for. Female humans tend to antagonize each other, even over something as mundane as 'attractiveness'.

"So exposed legs are considered attractive?"

"It depends on the human culture, or the weather at that… or whether they are considered skinny enough. Look over at that woman in the shorts. Her legs look like big, puffy marshmallows, and look at how the humans cringe away from her. The same females, again, laugh at her in a pitiful way all just to feel better about themselves."

"I suppose the skinnier woman's legs are easier on the ocular implants, but I'm starting to not like these human females. They are rather judgmental of each other. I don't see why the larger woman shouldn't expose her legs too. It seems humans are hated when they are too _attractive_, or when they are deemed too _ugly_. At least Irkens are more straightforward. The taller the better."

"I wouldn't bother trying to understand the human females. Earth males have lived beside them for over thousands of years, and even _they_ can't understand them."

"I'm so glad our race is androgynous," Tenn replied.

"Yeah, I guess… though I have always wondered why Irken females curl their antennae and wear false eyelashes."

"That's because it looks appealing, Skoodge."

"It does? I never noticed... Does it not hurt when you bend your antennae to achieve that desired, curled shape?"

"Yes, very, _very_ much. Often brings a tear to the eye."

"So why do you do it?"

"I already explained, because it makes one more appealing."

"I think I now know why the humans often say "beauty is pain".

Tenn watched him sharply at that. "Well, it's our choice. No one forced us."

"Oh… okay. I guess that's one question I can finally scratch off my list." Skoodge looked into his mental list, and crossed out the question that read "Do Irken females curl their antennae and wear false eyelashes out of necessity, or by choice?"

"Funny how Irken males aren't expected to do any of that stuff, hey. We can just get up from our sleeping chambers and go about our day, and no one would even notice any difference."

Tenn gave him that sharp look again. "Well, no one said it was easy being an Irken 'female'.

"But it can be. I'm sure you would still look… uh… _satisfactory_…" Skoodge couldn't find the right word, "if you didn't do those things."

"I did try once. I didn't curl my antennae or wear my inserts, and someone thought I was Zim."

"Why would they think you were Zim?" Skoodge asked, clearly appalled.

"I don't know. We do have similar body proportions. I will tell you that I was not too happy about it. For one, they begged me not to blow them up. Despite us being an androgynous race, I do not want to be mistaken for a male, especially Zim."

"That sounds fair enough."

They never talked anymore on the subject, since it had run its course, and stopped by a playground. Tenn watched the human children wide-eyed.

"Won't they be disciplined? Where are the droids? Smeets are running amok, they should be in training!"

"… _Yeah_. Something else I should point out. You see, human children are a lot freer than Irken Smeets."

"What do you mean?"

"Put it this way; they aren't trained from birth, and any humans who become a soldier do it by choice. Then they are trained, though still considerably young, but not as young as 'birth'.

"But… that's preposterous. How will they be better prepared for war?"

"You sound just like I used to. You'll get used to their crazy customs eventually. Now that we're on the subject of human children, I really, really want you to meet Molly."

"You want me to meet a human Smeet? Untrained, undisciplined, and… _wild?"_

"I'm really not having an easy time of this. Everything that I say about the humans is always turned against them. I'll assure you that Molly is safe. She can be rough, and she does tend to bite, a lot, but –"

Tenn made a small gasp. "Just as I feared! A biter! She sounds barbaric. I remember one Smeet during training. He was a biter too, and was hard to discipline. Then the droids took him away, and he was never seen again…"

"Oh, I remember him. He was fun."

"He was a barbarian, Skoodge! He would have never become a civilized Irken citizen. It's a wonder why Zim is even still _alive_ today."

"Come on, Zim's not so bad. He did sacrifice me to a hogulus beast once back on Hobo 13, but we're pretty cool now."

"This Molly Smeet? Is she… undisciplined?"

"Well… no. She can be wild, but doesn't cry or whine, not like her little brother. She's a good kid."

"And how old is Dib? He is still in his Smeethood, right?"

"… Um, yes, he is."

"So, basically, all children of Earth are untrained, and don't know their place? One even escaped his very own planet and joined an intergalactic war!"

"… I have nothing more to say. I'm never going to convince you. But in Dib's defence, that is a rather remarkable feat, even for an adult human. A shame his dad never sees it that way…"

"Hiya, Skoodge!" a small voice greeted them next.

Skoodge turned around surprised, and there was Molly. Her mother was walking down the path up ahead, with the baby in a stroller. Little Molly was riding her new scooter that she got for her birthday. Flames were painted on it to make it go faster. Zim was not amused...

"What are you doing here, and who's that?" Molly asked next, pointing at Tenn.

"Oh… um, well, this is awkward. I guess now you've finally met Molly, Tenn."

Tenn gasped and hid behind Skoodge. Molly beamed as she finally met the famous _friend._

"Is that really you, Tenn? Why you hiding?"

"Don't… don't bite me, human Smeet."

"I'm not going to bite you, silly!"

Tenn whimpered behind Skoodge.

Skoodge groaned as this was going to be a challenge. So much for meeting Molly in stages. He shouldn't have told Tenn about the human children of Earth's lack of training. Now Molly was a little monster in her eyes. Her baby brother, maybe, but Molly was an angel… well, sort of.

...

Zim decided that a rest on the couch was what he needed most, so now there he lay as Minimoose hovered close. The computer wafted a fan over Zim with one of his many arms.

"Brain… frazzled… me thinks… no more…" Zim mumbled.

**"Seriously, master**, **we leave** **for a month to go to a convention in Australia, and you manage to burn your brains out? I told you leaving was a bad idea, Minimoose, but you said I had to go, to meet all my **_**loyal**_** fans. And I told you there was no moose down under."  
><strong>  
>"Squeek."<p>

**"Forget all the cute, cuddly koalas!**"

"Squeek?"

**"Yes… I do love my didgeridoo, and it was very thoughtful of you to buy it as a gift and play its fine tune to ward off creepy fans."**

"Silence! Zim is trying to mumble incoherently. And this didgeridoo now belongs to me."

There came a knock at the door next.

"Didgeridoo! Who could that be?!" Zim asked, sitting up on the couch. He watched the door for a while, until it knocked again, _louder._

Zim jumped off the couch and approached the door carefully. He listened to the sounds on the other side.

"Hmmm, they must have left… Victory for Zim!"

"Zim, I know you're in there, I just heard your_ stupid_ voice. Open up."

Zim recognised that voice at once, and opened the door reluctantly. There she was Dib's violet-haired sister.

"Gaz-human? What brings you here?"

"So I heard the news, that you have Tak here as prisoner."

"It's been three days already since she arrived. Where have you been?! Have you been _sleeping_, little Gaz?"

"I was finishing up on my GS2. Finally completed all levels, so now I've got nothing better to do. May as well see our old friend Tak's creepy, possessed green eyes. Dib hasn't shut up about it. He's not happy that you're leaving him out you know. You did promise him that he could help out with the ghost stuff and all."

"Tak was never your friend... and _Dib_, I need him out of this, for now. I need to be alone with this creature, and Dib's fascination with Tak is infuriating. Tak wasn't _that _amazing!"

"Sure she was a friend; I squirt soda at all my closest friends… Well, he did have her ship in his possession, and even rode it all the way to planet Irk. But then you intervened and took his memories..." Gaz almost sounded angry about that. Why? Dib was the bane of her existence.

"And I told you to never bring that up! Well, he knows now, anyway."

"So, you gonna let me inside? The sun is burning my skin here."

"If you must, Gaz…" Zim moved aside and let her through.

Gaz noticed GIR staring at the Angry Monkey on TV once she entered the house.

"Oh yeah, I forgot there was an Angry Monkey show marathon coming up. When I saw the commercial, the first thing I thought of was GIR. I can see I was not _wrong_. He's glued."

"Shhh!" GIR shushed her then. Gaz let him off.

"So, you want to see Tak? I should warn you she's highly dangerous." Zim said.

"So am I. That's why I brought some poop cans." Gaz shook them, getting them ready...

Zim watched her strangely at that and shook his head. "Very well, follow me, Gaz-human."

Gaz followed him to the toilet. "So, have you been experiencing any more premonitions lately?" he asked her next.

"Yeah, I predicted some lottery numbers for 65 million. But then I remembered Dad's pretty rich enough anyway, so I let it pass."

"You know some humans would have killed for those numbers."

"Oh I know. That's why I love to see them fight… There were no winners…" She smiled evilly.

Unless Zim had misunderstood her last sentence, Gaz was forcing other, most probably mature humans, to fight for her entertainment so she could give one the winning numbers. But there were no winners… What does that mean?

They jumped inside the elevator, and reached the section of Tak's prison. Gaz walked up to the window and looked over Tak's sorry appearance.

"Wow, she looks even worse than last time…" Gaz smelled something familiar then, and looked into the trash. There were a few dozen _Deelishus Weenie_ napkins.

Gaz picked one out. "You're really feeding her these wieners?"

"Oh yes," Zim said, darkly.

"Brutal… I like it. Teach her to mess with _Earth_."

"But you were always indifferent to the Earth anyway. And you were never concerned when _I _tried to take over the planet!"

"Unlike you, Zim, Tak actually had a good shot at destroying my home world. No one threatens my existence, and gets off smoothly. Though I had to endure GIR's… _kissing_," she shivered, "it was worth it to see her fail."

"Yeah, I guess so…" Zim grumbled. Again, he was sick of hearing how good of an Invader Tak was, or could have been.

"So what does she do in there all day? Has she gone crazy yet? Ooh, can I watch when it happens?" Gaz sounded genuine. Her eyes turned all big and shiny.

Zim stepped back a little. Her eyes were creepy. "I find your childlike wonder most precious, Gaz, but no. You cannot watch."

"Why?"

Zim sighed, "Fine, but I can't tell you precisely when it will happen."

"So what's she doing now? That is a one-way mirror, right? How can she_ see_ us?"

"What?" Zim looked up and almost jumped when he saw Tak standing right on the other side adjacent to him … Her eyes were vacant.

"It's just some trick she's pulling," Zim said, hating the way Tak followed his every move at that moment.

"It's not working, Tak. Now resume your position!"

She stood so close to the mirror, that her breath fogged the glass on her side, appearing and disappearing in a white haze.

Zim watched her curiously, very sure that she watched him too. His squeedlyspooch turned.

"I… I don't think it's Tak… but her eyes remain purple…"

Gaz walked up to the glass next, and banged it where Tak's face was on the other side. But the alien didn't flinch.

"Hm, that should have worked… unless she could see it coming from our side."

"Foolish _guuurl_…" Tak hissed on the other side next. "Did you really think that could hinder me?"

"Are you speaking to me?" Gaz asked.

"Of course I'm speaking with you! I do admire that dark energy of yours, but, alas, you take the side of this _runt_. You'd have made a fine subordinate."

"But you can't see me. How would you know that I have this 'dark energy'? And I'm no one's subordinate."

Tak started to laugh as she brought her hands up to the glass, and raked her claws down its length, creating a horrible scraping sound. Bits of glass chipped away from her claws.

Zim winced from the sound, but Gaz didn't flinch an inch. She just continued to glare at Tak.

"We can see you _perfectly_, child. That strange purple growth falling from your head, and those yellow, burning eyes…"

"We?" Zim asked.

"Yes, _we_… I'm afraid you can't help your friend Tak now. Our minds have finally merged; her memories are now mine, and mine hers. Not hard really considering we were nearly the same person."

"You let her go!" Zim roared. He came up to the glass to meet that deranged face of Tak's. But it was only half of her now.

Zim banged on the glass. "Tak, don't let her take over you. You're stronger than her! I can't fail you now!"

Tak smiled evilly, enjoying that tortured look on his face that reflected back on hers.

"Why, I'm sure you love every moment of this. All you've ever wanted was to see us fail, Zim! You ruined our only chance of success!"

"Only hers, not yours, Green Eyes!"

"Is that what you've decided to call us? How pathetic…" she said, as her eyes shone green at last, "but fitting. After all, we'll never be called 'Purple Eyes' anymore. Tak is still inside of us, but we're afraid _Green Eyes_ has overridden our PAK."

"I will fight you. If not Tak, then I surely will. I'll set her free once again."

"How sweet, but you'll have to catch us first, runt!"

"You've got nowhere to run, because you're trapped!"

"Not for long…"

"What?"

"Zim, I'd step back a little from the glass. Things are about to get violent," Gaz warned.

"Has your foresight foreseen this?" he asked.

"No, just common sense. Now get back!"

"Eh?"

Gaz pulled him back just before Tak smashed the glass with a strength surpassing that of any normal Irken. But when you're considered two Irkens now, your strength is doubled by the power of two.

Had she acquired some form of supernatural power? To project her power out of the glass like that, it must be true. It was indestructible on the inside. But on the outside, it was fragile as Earth glass. An Irken invention.

Glass shattered all over Zim as he hid his face. Gaz covered hers too, and when they looked up again, Tak was in the room.

"There you are…" Tak purred. "You've no idea how long we've yearned for this…"

"Yearned for what?" Zim growled.

"This!" Tak lunged for him and grabbed a hold of his neck. Zim tried to ward her off, but she was simply too strong.

He was getting weak from her chokehold as he stared up at those gleaming green eyes, and knew it was not Tak looking back down at him. This creature was inhumane, and had no feeling left. Tak had always been a perfect villainess, but even this was beneath her. She would never take his life like this; she would choose a more meticulous, sophisticated plan. This was too animalistic for Tak.

Next, strange, sticky liquid gushed all over Green Eyes. Gaz squirted that can of poop, keeping a hold of the clasp as the cola burst through. Green Eyes screamed as smoke coiled away from her skin. Of course, Tak hadn't built a resistance yet to polluted Earth liquids. Even Tenn had used the paste as a precaution, even if she were to never leave the house.

Green Eyes glared up at Gaz. The girl shook that can once again, keeping her fingers on the clasp like a trigger. Green Eyes knew she was no match for the can, or the girl who held it. So she moved her gaze onto Zim.

The Irken had weakened now as he grasped his sore neck, where there was a dark bruise forming. Fortunately Irken anatomy was fast-healing. But he wheezed with each breath.

He looked up and recoiled away from her, but Green Eyes eyes changed for a moment. They saw that dark bruise around his neck in the shape of her hands, and they softened, becoming purple once again.

Zim almost saw her, and before he could call her name, she ran out the room. Zim had never seen such a tortured soul, but those were definitely Tak's eyes looking down on him, even if just for a small moment.

Gaz approached Zim's side. "You all right?" she asked. If Zim wasn't so weak, he would probably be shocked by her concern. Well what do you know, Gaz saved her brother's old nemesis. But they were all friends now. It was all good.

"Y-yes… Zim is fine now, thanks to Gaz…"

"Don't thank me, thank the poop cola corporation, for putting polluted ingredients in their soft drinks."

"She… I saw her… Tak's still in there."

"Should I have run after her?"

"No… you're no match –…"

He stopped upon that evil glare of Gaz's. "She's my fight, that's what I meant to say. Not yours."

"But she almost choked you to death."

"I know, I have the bruise! Ow..." Zim grabbed his throat again.

"Well, she'll probably escape out into the street. GIR's too far gone in his show to stop her. Are you sure you want that creature crawling around the city, Zim?"

Zim groaned. "No… if only I wasn't rendered weak, I could have run after her."

"I'll call Dib, and all three of us can go out and look for her."

Zim slumped back against the floor, putting his arm over his eyes. Great, he had tried his best to keep Dib out of this, but now his time had finally come. It was only a matter of time in the end.

Here comes the young paranormal investigator to the rescue.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I will upload again next week. After that, that will be it (for now). I have a current chapter in the works. **

**Minimoose and the computer are back! Did you even wonder where they'd been? I had, and it was Australia. It was a little stupid to make up for their lack of appearance in this story. At least Gaz's was more plausible. Jhonen did go to a convention down under, as I've watched Youtube videos like a creepy stalker fan. It looked fun. He has fans all over the world. I'd love to go to Australia too. That's my other dream destination.**

**And I love the word di****dgeridoo. That's why everyone was saying it so much. I find them relaxing in a strange way. There's a video of a didgeridoo playing for ten hours on Youtube. I wonder who would watch it...**

**Zim was harsh on Skoodge, though I've never been 'friendzoned' so I can't relate. I have friendzoned guys who were into me in the past (I weren't looking for relationships at the time). I am now in one, so lucky me. I'm not the kind of girl guys want to 'just' be friends with I guess. Woe is me...**

**You can be mathematically beautiful, which is probably the closest and most objective viewpoint to beauty you can ever find (though it's still subjective really). I think it goes in the order of the Fibonacci sequence. I'm bad at maths so I'm not going down that road.**

**I guess Irken and human females aren't that different. As a society, our women are expected to always look their best. Screw that. I'll look my worst!**

**I reckon there is more female Irkens than we know... they just aren't wearing their 'makeup'. Poor Tenn, being mistaken for Zim. They do look alike though.**

**Most British people don't actually say 'cheerio', or 'toodle pip', or 'by jove'. They may have done years ago, but times have changed. They do say "bloody 'ell", or "mate". Blimey I usually hear my dad say. But nobody else. There are many dialects in the UK. Such a variety, actually, that many are like separate languages in their own right. **

**Tak's voice actor is British, which is why she sounds like that. I don't think she was supposed to sound like a Brit on the show, that's just how it came about. It does suit her though. Gives her a creepy vibe, like Helena Bonham Cater in Sweeney Todd. Or as Bellatrix lestrange... **

**And finally, I'd like to announce the birth of my beautiful new niece who has recently come into the world. Now report for duty... **

**See you next week.**


	10. Hunting Party

**A/N: here is my tenth upload. Thank you all for your continued support. I really appreciate it. My gift in return is to get this story finished :)**

**Well read on :)**

* * *

><p>...<p>

Zim and Gaz emerged at the top floor of the base, and there they met a ghastly site.

Minimoose had been thrown against the wall, leaving one of his antlers hanging loose, and the computer's arm lay in the middle of the room. He kept on saying "ow" over and over as his limb twitched like a fish on deck.

GIR, however, was still sitting in front of the TV watching his beloved monkey.

"Minimoose!" Zim cried, running to his robot's aid. The moose squeaked helplessly, but other than his antler, he was pretty intact. "GIR! How could you just leave him lying like that?!"

"Favorite monkey's on!" GIR replied.

Zim growled. That stupid monkey.

**"Oh, don't mind me… I'm sure my arm will be perfectly fine… not. I don't even have a nervous system, but it still hurts like –"**

"Oh quit your whining!" Gaz snapped at the computer, picking his robot arm up off the floor.

**"Yes, my **_**new **_**mistress…"  
><strong>  
>"Computer, report status update. What happened up here?!" Zim yelled, cradling Minimoose in his arms like a baby.<p>

**"Well, as you can see, my arm is now in the hands of the female Membrane child, and Minimoose's antler is hanging off of his head.** **The cause?** **TAK CAME STORMING THROUGH FROM THE TOLIET IN THE KITCHEN AND WREAKED HAVOC ON OUR PRECIOUS HOME!"**

"It was noble of you two to try and stop her, but look at what it has done to you!"

**"It's nice of you to finally show some concern for my arm...**"

"And GIR just sat through it all?!" Zim asked, looking over at GIR annoyed.

**"Oh, didn't you hear? His favorite monkey's on TV!"**

"You're awfully sarcastic today, computer. But I need you to remain calm. This is a very serious situation. There is a possessed Irken on the loose, and I will need all of your help. Even yours, GIR! Actually, on second thought… you just keep watching your _favorite_ monkey…"

GIR saluted. Zim sighed. It was better that GIR stayed out of this.

"**I'm sorry. I guess I'm just in a lot of pain right now."**

"That's okay, computer, you are forgiven. Now, first things first –"

"Call Dib…" Gaz said.

"I was getting to that!"

"Call him, Zim," Gaz repeated, pointing the computer's arm in his direction. "We need all the help we can get. No offence, but you're not gonna get much of it here. And Dib's paranormal logic can be useful, I guess…"

"I know…" Zim admitted, pouting like a spoilt child. "Computer, send Minimoose to the repair station. And while you're at it, fix your arm," Zim ordered.

**"As you wish, master. Can… can I have my arm back, please?"** the computer asked Gaz next.

Gaz contemplated his arm for a few more taunting seconds, and then handed it over.

"Here, I don't need a lame robot arm, anyway."

The computer grabbed it with another limb. Now he took Minimoose and pulled him up through a hole in the celing.

"Call your brother, and make it quick. There's not a moment to lose!"

"You yell at me again, and I'll pick your antennae off your head, just like I did with that stupid roach last week. Buzzing its wings around my room!"

"You pull antennae off innocent insects? You monster!"

Gaz pulled her phone out and dialled Dib's number. It didn't take long and she soon hung up.

"He's on his way."

"Good. Operation 'find Tak' can soon start."

…

Tenn looked around nervously at Molly's bedroom. Stuffed animals stared at her from all around with glistening eyes. So creepy. The stars on the ceiling gave her some comfort in the least.

Skoodge watched her curiously with an unnatural grin on his face.

"So, what do you think?" he asked.

"You bring me to the child's lair, so of course I'm nervous. But I will try and give her a chance."

"You showed a lot of courage today to come back to Molly's house."

Tenn was somewhere else now. "The smaller one in the push chair… how… how does its mother put up with that sound? It's so bothersome… a Smeet that loud and obnoxious would be sent straight to the dungeons on Irk."

"The humans actually frown upon such treatment of children. Very unacceptable. He's just nineteen Earth months of age. To be fair our Smeets are uploaded with a mature personality from when they are minutes old. He can't help it. I've seen him eat his own nasal mucus."

"Vulgar… I don't even know what the punishment for that would be on Irk. Irken Smeets do not possess a nose…"

"Yeah, could you imagine, haha!" Skoodge laughed. Tenn didn't find it funny. Now it turned awkward for them again.

How Skoodge hated these awkward silences. It was like they were on a first date, over and over, a true nightmare! Why did he think of the human tradition of 'dating' as an example?

Lucky for him, Molly finally entered the room with a plate of food.

"I got us snacks! Now we can have that indoor picnic. You always liked them, Skoodge!"

"And I'm sure Tenn will too," Skoodge said.

The door creaked open slowly, and there stood baby Kenny with a bottle in his mouth and a frown on his face.

"Skoodge… what is the younger child doing here?" Tenn asked, creeping away from the toddler. He eyed her evilly.

"Oh, my Mommy says I have to let my brother play with us for a while. He's not so bad... except he likes to pull my hair, and he breaks anything he touches!"

"Why is he looking at me like that?"

Molly looked up at Tenn and gave an evil smile. "Because he smells _fear_…"

"I knew it!" Tenn screamed, sprouting out her PAK legs to reach the top bunk.

"Molly, please don't scare Tenn like that."

"Sorry, Skoodge. He doesn't really smell fear, silly Tenn."

"I think he definitely knows we're aliens though… he always looks at me and Zim very strange…" Skoodge remarked. "Trust babies to be the smartest out of the entire human race..."

"Well that doesn't make me feel any better!" Tenn cried.

"Oops, sorry. He can't talk though. It's all just babbles and gibberish."

Baby Kenny staggered over to the ladder of the bunk and clung to the rungs.

"Aboo da boo!" he gibbered. English translation: "I am so clever that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying."

"What does he want?!" Tenn yelled.

"I think he wants you to come down," Skoodge said.

"I never will! Make him stop, Skoodge!"

"Okay…" Skoodge found a ball with a floating alien inside to divert Kenny's attention. He did, and the baby's eyes lit up as he held out a chubby, dimpled hand.

"Here, Kenny, go get the ball!" Skoodge threw it across the room. Now the baby's a dog.

Kenny stumbled after it and grabbed it off the floor, shaking it about as the plastic alien spun around. It amused him, so he sat down and played with it.

"He's gone over there now, in the corner. That ball will captivate him for hours. It's time for you and Molly to finally get to know each other."

"Okay, but if he makes one move towards me, I'm out of that door."

Molly scoffed. "You're not really scared of a baby, are you, Tenn?"

Tenn climbed down from the bed and sat opposite Molly on the picnic blanket that she spread out. Molly was already chewing on a sandwich.

"As a matter of fact, I was scared of you at first, human Smeet. I'm still undecided on that as you're clearly undisciplined. You're lucky you live on a planet that lets you express your child-like _innocence, _but don't push it. I won't tolerate such insolence."

"You sound like my _mom_. Skoodge never said you were a boring old grownup!"

"Skoodge, are you going to let her speak to me like that?"

Skoodge never said a thing. He was pretty clueless.

"I hope all girl aliens aren't like this…" Molly wondered.

"If by girl you mean female, and alien, Irken, then yes. We're well-trained, disciplined, and ready to fight any war!"

"Cool. So you can fight?"

"Yes… very well. Well, once…" Tenn rubbed her arm sadly.

"Do all girl aliens get to fight?"

"Why would they ever not?" Tenn asked, clearly dumbstruck by that question.

"So no one makes you wear frilly dresses, and play with stupid dolls and be all _girly_?" It was hard not to hear the venom in the girl's voice. Being a cute little blonde girl, society expected her to be some sweet _tulip_. But she was a fighter, a biter, and a spitter.

Tenn looked at Skoodge. "Is this child suffering from a concussion? What is this phrase _girly_?"

"Anything that is opposite from the word masculine. I guess I'd fit in that category too. I cry _far_ too much," Skoodge laughed. It's good to joke about oneself.

"Oh… yes, they're not an androgynous race, I see now. Well, who stops you from fighting?" Tenn asked Molly.

"Everyone, my teacher, my mom, my aunt, my _ghost_ aunt, even my next door neighbor! Her stupid nephew said I had a fat butt, so I punched him in the face!"

"That's because you're an undisciplined child, but it's better to control that anger. It is not a useful tool during a fight. All emotions must be controlled whilst on the battle field. How do your… _parents_ control your dopamine levels?"

"Dopawhat?"" Molly said.

Skoodge was at a loss. So he looked out the window. Things were not going exactly as planned. His eyes found that nest that Zim often liked to gaze at. The chicks were nearly fledging now; their feathers were growing beautifully. He focused on that for now, while the two girls talked things out.

...

Zim, Dib and Gaz had taken to the streets to track down Tak. It wasn't so hard, since she had left a trail. Trash cans had been pushed all over the floor, leaving the rubbish to litter the streets. Gulls squawked and scavenged at the discarded food.

One neighbour's mail box had even been knocked down. The owners of said mail box were standing over the wreckage. Whatever had torn it off its post, and crushed it into a heap, must have been pretty strong.

"What do you think did it?" the man of the house asked. His wife and neighbour stood beside him.

"Maybe a bear has come to the neighborhood?" his neighbour suggested.

"That does make sense. A bear has visited our humble street, scavenged through our trash, and pulled my mail box off its wooden stand. It even left a dent with its _giant_ paws."

"Yes, that will be our conclusion," the wife said now.

"No!" Dib intervened.

The three adults looked down at him annoyed. They were trying to figure things out. How rude.

"It was not a bear, you fool! Just one look at that dent, and you know it was by something way more intelligent with a vendetta!"

"Well a bear has every reason to have a vendetta," the man of the house replied.

"Why would a bear have a vendetta?!" Dib asked, peeved.

"I don't know… maybe because _humans_ encroached on their habitat?"

"No, that is not the reason, even if it were a bear! It was something paranormal, something _extra-terres_–"

Gaz pulled Dib away by his collar.

"Hey!" he cried.

"Leave the nice people alone, Dib," Gaz said.

"Fine, but just hearing them talk reminds me of the idiocy of the human race. A bear? Come on, Gaz!"

"I can second that. Your people are stupid, Dib, so stupid that _aliens _won't even visit!" Zim confirmed.

"Then why did you visit?" Dib asked.

"To invade, _duh_. Has your simple, human brain forgotten about that? But enough of the past. We have a mission, and that is to find Tak!"

"Yeah, we've pretty much covered that already. Do you think she went far?"

"She has a good few hours on us, so something tells me she went into the direction of the city."

"With all those people? Oh man. What if someone got hurt?"

"This is turning out to be an exciting night after all. I hope there's blood…" Gaz wondered.

"No, there won't be blood, Gaz, because Tak wouldn't do something so low. Would she?"

"It isn't her, Dib. I may have seen just a little part of her before she went storming off, but she is weak. This think has a hold on her."

"Just keep hold of your cans, boys and girls. We'll get her in the end," Gaz said, giving a can a good shake.

"How about we split up?" Dib suggested next.

"Like in horror movies? Good idea," Gaz replied.

"No… wait… that is just like in horror movies…"

"It is a good idea," Zim agreed. "Since there are three main possibilities of where Tak could have gotten to, and_ three_ of us, we may find her sooner."

"What are the three possible places she could have gone to?" Gaz asked.

"The city, the woods, and the outskirts. There are possibly two more; the highway, or the zoo, perhaps, but we haven't got much choice. Skoodge and Tenn are out of commission… unless one of you are willing to split and make a clone?"

"No." Gaz said.

"Come on, just think _mitosis_, and you'll be splitting in no time."

"Do we look like single-celled organisms?" Dib asked, irritated.

"From where I'm standing," Zim replied.

Gaz ground her teeth. "That's it! We're splitting up. Zim, you take the city, since you know it so well, and Dib you take the woods. I'll stay out here in the outskirts."

"Nu-uh, you take the woods! You have seen horror movies, right, Gaz? I don't wanna meet a slasher!"

"Fine, you take the outskirts then, and I'll wander off through the woods and get lost."

Gaz walked off towards the woods. When she disappeared through some trees behind the houses, it finally dawned on Dib.

"Oh no… I just left my little sister to go and get murdered in the woods!"

"Yes you did, you despicable human being! But in your defence, Gaz is a lot tougher than you. Besides, she has her bat and a can of poop."

"I don't know… you do remember what happened to Molly senior?" Dib said.

"Oh…" Zim turned pale. "Then it's best you go back there and follow her, Dib. Leave the outskirts. We'll just search the city and the wilderness."

"All right. See ya later, and don't forget to call if you find her."

"Yes, I will use that foolish contraption that you call a 'cellphone'."

Dib had already run off after Gaz, so he never heard the Irken's comment. Zim would have rather used an Irken form of communication, but the humans had no PAKs. Obviously.

Zim was left alone now. It was turning dusk and the streets were deserted. A plastic bag drifted in the wind as it past Zim. He felt a chill.

He was eager to get to the city, so he headed in that direction. It didn't dawn on him till half way there that Tak may have run off into the woods after all for seclusion. Unless Green Eyes had directed her towards the city. The more people to harm...

This wasn't the brightest plan.

...

"Gaz, wait up!"

Gaz growled, "I thought I told you to stay on the streets!"

Dib finally caught up with Gaz by two sycamore trees. It was cold in the shade as the sun was setting.

"You did," he said, "but then Zim and I decided that we shouldn't let a little girl go wandering off through the woods by herself."

"I have the bat," she pointed out.

"I suppose you do, but Dad would be furious, too, Gaz."

"So, he has a new daughter now and a girlfriend. What does he care?"

"Don't talk like that, Gaz. You know Dad still loves you."

"The other day I heard him say "I finally have a cute daughter that will laugh at my funny face". She had gas! She weren't even smiling!"

"You never did laugh when you were a baby..."

"The kid's a month old, she can't even smile yet."

"Her name is Rae, Gaz. Stop calling her the kid!"

"Yeah, Rae, a pretty, normal name, short for Rachel. Not like Gazlene, or Dib… I've never known what your name is short for."

"Rae is short for Raelene. It rhymes with yours…"

"Meh… she'll do. I can forgive her whining, given that she's a month old."

"That's very considerate of you..."

"I know. I'm a good sister."

"You are… Hey, what was that?! Something moved behind that beech!"

"How do you know that tree's a beech?"

"It's silver-gray bark. I've spent a lot of time in the woods, Gaz."

"I never knew you talked to trees…"

"I don't talk to them! Let's go and see what that thing was. You got the bat ready?"

Gaz readied the bat. "Yep."

Dib tip-toed towards the tree with Gaz in tow. There was nothing there.

"I swear I saw something."

"Was it that squirrel?" Gaz pointed towards a grey squirrel foraging through the leaf litter.

"No. It was bigger. Though I do have this theory, that the squirrels become big by the light of dusk."

"So why's it small now?"

"You call that small for a squirrel?!" Dib yelled.

"I suppose it looks pretty big… Let's keep moving. And stop yelling. Tak may hear you."

"If she's out here, that is."

"We'll have to wait and see." Gaz held the bat against her shoulder as they walked further into the woods.

The squirrel watched them move away with a twitching nose. It ran up a tree and grew twice its size next, forming sharp teeth and claws. Unfortunately, it snapped a thin branch as it reached the top, forgetting its own weight. It crashed to the floor and exploded.

Gaz and Dib looked back at the explosion, confused. Strange. Maybe there were maniacs running around these woods after all.

...

Zim trudged the streets of the city. Strange people often lurked at this time, as it was getting pretty late. The sky was already dark. Did he really want to be stuck out here?

He passed one shifty bar, and two drunken men were singing merrily outside in each other's embrace. Humans had strange rituals.

A woman in fishnet stockings stood at the end of one street. Zim really didn't want to know who she was waiting for. He would prefer that her profession remained a mystery.

A guy in a dark alley jumped out on him next and opened his coat out. He was showing him slabs of meat. Zim screamed and ran away.

There was not one single ghost out tonight. The sight would have been all too welcoming now. He found that the spooks of the city were more active during the day, contrary to popular belief. They must get tired and go to bed. It's the living he should fear tonight.

He heard a peculiar sound behind the alley of an old warehouse. It was a strange shuffling and then a smash. Had someone smashed a glass bottle?

Something about the alley intrigued him. Its general loneliness and the abandoned warehouse beckoned to him. So far he had seen no injuries during his time in the city, so Tak and/or Green Eyes was not out for bloodshed. Not Tak in the least.

If Tak had managed to seize control of her PAK again, then wouldn't she hide somewhere that was isolated and dark, such as this alley? Zim had to give it one look over. But what was that sound of glass shattering?

Dare he enter?

He took one step into the darkness, leaving the safe light of the street behind. Having to remind himself that he was a trained killing machine was a comfort now, because this alley did not smell welcoming. The smell of human urine was powerful, and… was that a hint of blood? There was also the scent of other human bodily fluids, but Zim didn't dare let his mind wander that far…

He crept through the darkness as the shapes became clearer. There was a dumpster, and a few heaps of plastic bags and trash cans. There was also the distinct sound of squeaking. Zim tried to not think of the beady eyes of rats peering at him through a dark crevice. Would Tak really venture inside of here? She had more class than this, possessed or not.

Near the end of the alley, there was a slumped form sitting against the grimy wall. It was human. Zim took a step backwards. He wasn't expecting to come across one in this alley. Was it even alive?

He caught a strong whiff of some unruly Earth substance, and he recoiled again. He never understood why humans consumed alcohol. It stunk and it made the human stink also, seeping out of their pores and breath.

As he took a step back, hoping to reach the safety of the street before this sorry form discovered he was there, the heel of his boot stood on some glass. It crunched beneath his boot, grinding into the cold, wet floor.

The human stirred.

"Who's there?" it spoke up in a croaky voice.

Zim peered down at the floor and saw the smashed bottle. Its fragments were scattered all over the floor, like it had rained glass.

"Who is it?! What d'ya want?!"

"S-stay… stay where you are!"

He heard the human getting up onto its feet. It hoppled over towards him and squinted through the dark. There was hardly any light in the alley, so it was a pointless action.

Zim's eyes were remarkably better than this drunken human's. So he could see his features as he crept closer. He knew he saw his face somewhere before. He held another bottle of brown liquid in his hands. Was that his second bottle?

They both recognised each other at the same time. Zim felt the anger and the disgust rising to his throat, as well as the vomit.

Peter (he is a) Fraudstein let out a raspy laugh as he swayed above Zim. Zim backed into the grimy wall.

"Well, look _who_ it is… the little piece of sh*t who ruined my last show…"

Zim glared up hatefully. "Stay away from me."

"You… you ruined me… I've been waiting for this day…"

"I'm not afraid of you. You're nothing but a miserable liar!"

Peter laughed, "So, where all your ghost friends now? No one's here to save you tonight, little man..."

"I don't need their help. I can handle you on my own... Do you also believe in _aliens_?"

Peter lunged for him instantly, as he tried to smash that bottle against his head. Zim just about missed the attack, but Peter went flying into the wall and onto the ground.

Zim made a beeline for the street before it got ugly. But something grabbed a hold of his ankle as he tripped. He was dragged back into the darkness again as glass scraped his skin.

He didn't want to have to fight this man, but it may have to come to that. There was a sharp pang in his shoulder next, and then he felt warm liquid. Then the distinctive smell of Irken blood filled the alley. Had he stabbed him with a shard of glass?

Zim should have attacked this man sooner. He was worse than a conman. Now he was a killer, driven by sorrow and regret. Zim could smell the regret. It was even stronger than the whisky. But he only grieved for the loss of his career. Not for all those fools that he deceived.

He poked out two of his PAK's legs and aimed for his skull. A light zap would do the trick, and he would be unconscious. Zim wouldn't stoop to his level, even though he could do far worse.

He couldn't aim his lasers at the precise spot of his skull. Zim was losing his vision. That was a lot of Irken blood. Could Irken's recover from blood loss? They could recover from broken bones and tissue damage, but blood loss was something else. He hoped it was true of his species, that his blood cells could clone themselves at a rapid rate when the body loses a substantial amount of blood. It was crazy, but he had to put faith in that.

He stared up at the blurry shape of Peter. He held another shard of glass above his head. Zim couldn't find the right part of his skull in time. Should he just kill him now? It was a survival instinct. There was no other choice. Right in the face…

Zim heard a distinctive buzz behind Peter's shoulder. The man turned still. Next, he was pushed aside to the floor like a heap of old rubbish. Hopefully he wasn't dead.

Had he hit his target? He never felt his PAK legs heating up, so what had taken him out?

Zim peered up at a new figure now. Though his vison was blurred, he did make out those distinct appendages on top of its head, like Irken antennae.

The form leaned in closer and he saw its… _her_ face at last. Her eyes were wide and alert, but they were purple again. The light from the street hit her eyes so he could see them perfectly. He also thought he noticed a look of concern. But it was probably a trick of the light…

"T-Tak…" he muttered.

He heard her step back next. Did he also hear her quiet sob?

"Wait! Don't go! I… I can… Zim will help… help…" He passed out. Now the alley turned to blackness.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: this will be it for the time being. Sorry to leave it on a cliff-hangar. Things just came up after I finished this. The next chapter is half way through but I can't say for sure when that will be finished. I'm planning on a new novel but it's one I think I need to do boring research for. Boo-hoo. I hope you all stick around and wait for me on here. I will be back.**

**We finally found out Dib and Gaz's baby sister's name. Rae because she's a little ray of sunshine. I think it's rather pretty. Gaz's full name is supposed to sound like gasoline. That's not so pretty.**

**Her name was something I was going to leave a mystery, since I weren't going to write a sequel, but it's so nice to know. It has three letters, like the rest of the cast.**

**That was an Oscar Wilde quote that came out of baby Kenny's mouth. I searched for intelligent quotes as I was hoping to use an Einstein one, but then I saw that, and it fit perfect. **

**Remember to always fear the living, and not the dead. The dead cannot harm you, but a fellow living meat creature can.**

**That's all I need to say about that.**

**See you soon. I've enjoyed the past six weeks. It's seems I've gained new fans since Clairvoyance. So you would have had to have read through all of that before finishing this. Which story have you preferred? For me, it's like comparing my second born child to my first, because my firstborn will always be special to me as it was my first experience as a mother... I mean as a fanfic writer... I do however think this one was easier to write, as I learnt a lot after my first (as all mothers do, I mean, writers). I can imagine it was easier to read on your behalf too. Let's be honest, a story is about quality, not quantity. Plus, going back over Clairvoyance is not a walk in the park. It can take me weeks to edit. It may even need editing again. I'm too scared to look. Boohoo.**

**Happy Valentines day, or Friday the 13th. Whichever one you prefer.**


	11. A Mutual Agreement

**A/N: hello. I'm back already. This was the chapter I said that was half-way finished. I managed to finish it this week. The last part was written less than twenty-four hours ago. I hope it reads well.**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

><p>...<p>

Tak looked down at that lifeless body in shock. Irken blood poured out of the side of his shoulder. She had to look away. The smell of it got to her. It was more powerful than any scent in this alley.

She refocused her attention on that drunken shape to her left. She had no idea what had occurred here tonight, or why Zim was arguing with a rotten drunk.

There was yelling, and then she heard Zim's voice in the next alley behind a chain-link fence. She wasn't sure what came over her. His life was in danger, so she acted immediately, and climbed that fence with little effort.

At least she used a low setting. She hoped she did, or the man would never wake up again. There was the smell of fried meat, which could be his brains. Though she only hit the first layer of skin. The smell of charred human flesh was nauseating.

It was hard to remember how she came to this very spot tonight. Some time ago, she had woken up from the strangest of dreams. Although it had not been a dream. Of that much she was sure. She could only wish it were a dream…

There was something not right with her, and these blackouts were just going to persist unless she got help. Is that why Zim was here? Did he mean what he said earlier? Was he even capable of such compassionate behaviour?

She looked down at him once again. There was a new softness to her eyes as she glanced at his wound. There was a time in her life where she dreamed of seeing Zim in such pain, but she always wished that it was her who had inflicted it. Not some sorry excuse of a human being. It just wasn't the same.

But she found that it was not the reason why she looked over him now. Could it be pity? He must have been out here looking for her. He had stuck to his word after all. He was willing to help her overcome this disease that had taken over her. Was it possibly a ghost? There was a chill in the air as that thought haunted her mind.

Was there more to life and death?

She kneeled by Zim's side and checked his wound. The wound seemed to be healing nicely, but his grazed skin was coming into contact with the grimy floor. Highly unsanitary. There was the smell of human bodily fluids all over this place.

She saw that bottle in the drunk's hand and grabbed it, pouring a small amount of whisky over Zim's wound. A primitive disinfectant at best, it must burn like heck. Lucky Zim was asleep. That was until he woke up screaming.

Tak yelped and dropped the bottle, grimacing when the whisky splashed on her uniform. That was not the smartest plan. A little hasty for her. Whisky on a wound? How sloppy. It should kill off any infection though.

Zim eyes rolled back into his skull as he passed out again from the intense pain. If it could burn a wound like that, then why on Irk did the humans swallow it? These creatures always confused her. It was a shame she never got to destroy them. All because of this pathetic Irken lying beside her.

As much as she tried, she couldn't find it in her to be angry with him now. Not until later at least.

She stood up and wiped her hands over her uniform. What was she going to do now? She couldn't just leave him out here. She would have to carry him back to the base, but he was probably heavy. It was the only option. The base was the last place she wanted to be right now.

Tak jumped once Zim started to sing. No, it was not Zim, but something inside of his pocket. The song was irritating, and the lyrics were redundant. The humans had strange music.

With caution she picked the thing out of his pocket, and found that it was some remote form of human communication. The music still played. "Incoming call from Dib…" was written on the screen.

Tak took a deep breath, and slid aside the button to answer the call. It wasn't hard to figure out.

"Hello?" she said in a clear voice.

"…Tak?! Why… why you answering Zim's phone?! You are Tak, right, and not –"

"No, it's me, Dib. Nobody else… for now. Zim is unconscious. I guess you were both out looking for me, but then I found _him_ instead."

"Unconscious? Oh… oh no… What –?"

"It was by no fault of my own… well, I may have momentarily revived him with some whisky, but then he passed out again. It happens…"

"What are you talking about? Where are you?!"

"I'm not entirely sure. My surroundings are strange. It's a small, narrow segment between buildings. There's rubbish and the scent of human fluids, and an unconscious, drunken man. Oh, and a rat too," Tak said as a rat scurried out from beneath the dumpster and into the adjacent wall. "The drunk is the one who attacked Zim."

She heard Dib sigh on the phone. The sound was grating on her antennae. "You're in an alley. The city has its fair share… What part of the city are you in?"

"Maybe about west from where I built my large weenie stand. You remember that, right, Dib? Of how I almost destroyed your planet?"

"I need more specifics, Tak!" She seemed to have angered him. He heard enough of it from Zim, but Tak's jibe got to him more. Maybe because Tak actually had a chance at taking down his race.

"You do realise who you are talking to, Dib? I am not Zim. I will not be soft with you…" Tak's voice was deadly.

"Uh… okay… Is there any clues you can give me?"

"There is a large warehouse to my right."

"It may be the abounded tobacco warehouse. It got shut down because of that drug scandal a few years back."

"That would explain the earthy, residual scent. Why exactly do you humans inhale plants, Dib? Too bad I never got to pump out the Earth's magma..."

"Hey, only the messed up humans smoke that stuff! I'm still just a kid."

"Well, are you coming to find me? Do make it quick. Zim is bleeding profusely… it smells of strawberries …"

"Okay, you're starting to creep me out. I'll be there as soon as possible."

"I think you mean ASAP, Dib. You humans and your silly acronyms…"

"…Yeah, just wait for me, and look after Zim…"

Dib hung up.

Tak placed her head into her hands and gave her antennae a vigorous rub. This alley was doing strange things to her head; what's so funny about ASAP?

She should really cover up Zim's wound, lest his strawberry-scented blood leaks out all over the floor. His Irken cells weren't cloning fast enough.

She looked inside his PAK's storage compartment, picking her way around his extended spider legs, and pulled out his first aid kit to cover the wound.

It turned out she didn't need to douse him with the whisky after all. There must be some Irken disinfectant in here. Her first aid kit was taken away from her before she was sent to the prisons.

Zim also had a rubber duck stored in his PAK, and a half-eaten donut, but she didn't question it any further.

She found something to cover his wound, so she dressed it nicely. How awful it was to be kind to Zim, but … it was necessary. He said he could help her. She somehow thought she could believe him.

...

Dib walked all the way to the alley in his stealth suit. The city was dangerous at these hours; it was best he was invisible. He just had to get home and put it on before he went out again. That was where he dropped off Gaz. He didn't care how tough she was, she was not going out into the city. Gaz didn't put up a fight. She just went upstairs and locked herself in her room. Strange.

He eventually came upon the abandoned warehouse, and then the alley. There he saw three shapes in the darkness, and tip-toed over.

"Hello, Dib…" Tak greeted. She didn't even turn around.

"Aw man, you knew I was here?"

"Even with the stealth suit on," Tak pointed out, facing the direction of his voice now. "A word of advice, don't breathe so loud."

Dib pulled off the top part of his suit that covered his head, and glanced over at Zim.

"You dressed him?" Dib asked, surprised.

"Yes. You don't make any attempts to hide your disbelief, do you, Dib?"

"It's just… you and Zim aren't the best of friends…"

"And yet you remind me of how _painful_ of a task it was…"

Dib looked over at the drunken human and gasped.

"What did you do?!"

"Did it not occur to you that he may have passed out due to his compulsive drinking? Two bottles, Dib… You have to assume the worst in everyone. "

"He smells like burned meat!"

"… That's what happens when you stun someone with lasers, even if just slightly."

"Stun?!"

"Yes, stun… I've checked him. He still has a pulse. Though he will have an excruciating headache when he wakes."

Dib walked over to the drunk. He gasped so loud this time that Tak's antennae perked up like the ears of a dog.

"Why did you inhale that loud breath just now?"

"That's… that's Peter Fruadstein! And he's unconscious!"

"We've already established that... "

"He's an old psychic, well,_ fake_ psychic. Man he hit rock bottom. That's what you get for making a mockery of paranormal research!" Dib barked down at him.

Peter stirred. Dib jumped back and landed in defensive mode. It was pitiful. Tak decided she never saw it.

"Paranormal what?" she asked.

"Research... that's pretty much my thing. It's not solely restricted to aliens and space monsters, Tak."

"You mean like… ghosts?"

"Yes."

"You know a lot about this stuff?"

"Too much!"

"Do you know how to rid one of someone's," Tak swallowed, "body?"

"Yeah, but you would need a priest to perform the exorcism. Is… is this about… you know…"

"I don't want to talk about it. Let's just get Zim back to his ridiculous base."

"Okay, but we'll have to be quick. I'm on a curfew tonight. I need to be back by eight. My dad is going on a date tonight. Only just told me before that he has _dinner reservations_."

"Why do you have to be home? Is it because of your terrifying, younger sibling? I'm sure she's capable of looking after herself."

"No, I have a new sister now. Despite how smart my dad thinks she is; she's not quite able to look after herself yet."

"You have a new sister? How… how… I'm struggling with words. What is a new human child supposed to be?"

"Precious. Sweet. Wonderful. You don't have to try, Tak. I know you're a heartless alien."

Tak looked at him strangely. She seemed to deflate a little. "I suppose… well, you've just given me a reason not to go back to that insipid hole that Zim calls a base. We'll go to yours instead, since you're on a tight curfew."

"Have you just invited yourself back to my house?" Dib asked.

"Yes."

"No way! You're a ticking time bomb. Who knows when you'll explode again?"

Tak growled, "Listen, Dib, I've spent too long now in confinement, so forgive me for wanting a little extra freedom. By my estimation, Zim should wake in another hour once his cells have finished multiplying, and then we can discuss things. I refuse to make any further arrangements until I can speak with Zim. I will not be confined again…"

"But you're dangerous."

"Yes, that much is true, but only by my own command! I will not let this thing control me. Now that I know what is happening, I may stand a better chance."

"You could only hope for that. I saw it take over you. It wasn't pretty."

"I don't need to concern myself with the opinion of a human child."

"But both of my sisters are in that house. Forgive me for not wanting a dangerous, unpredictable space monster around my month old sister."

"It's a chance I'm willing to take…"

"Well not me! We can make it to Zim's base if –…"

Tak grabbed Dib's shirt. He yelped. Tak was kind of strong for a space chick.

"We are going to your house, Dib. No more arguing. We can make this simpler than it has to be… If you want, I can wait outside until Zim wakes. That way you can ensure that both of your sisters are safe."

"All right. We won't go back to Zim's base since you hate it so much. Now let go of my shirt. You're creasing it up."

Tak let go of his shirt. Dib brushed himself off. Irkens could be jerks at times.

...

Gaz was sat at home watching a swarm of bats consuming a cow, as her father paced in the living room. She ground her teeth several times and made a growling sound, even though he never stepped in front of the TV.

Her father's girlfriend was applying lipstick in front of a mirror. She may be a nerdy science chick by day, but that woman brushed up well. She was wearing a classy black dress and her hair out. It was long and red. Membrane wore a fancy suit, which just looked like a black lab coat.

"Confound that boy! I told him to be home by 8pm precisely and it is now fifty-seven minutes passed the hour. Where is he, Gaz?!" Membrane asked, wringing his gloves in front of her. Now she couldn't see the cow.

"How should I know? We're not exactly in sync…" Gaz said, moving her head to the side to see the cow.

"But he is your brother! You share genes! Twenty three exactly of my chromosomes and another twenty three of… of an unspecified lady who I hardly remember …" Membrane added after a look from his girlfriend in the mirror. "That was before I met you, dear. I can't even recall the petri dish... It's all you from now on!"

She smiled and continued applying her lipstick. Gaz ground her teeth again and covered her ears. She didn't need to hear the word 'petri dish'. No eleven-and-a-half-year-old needs to hear the story of their conception.

"Did it even occur to you that_ I_ could look after the baby on my own, Dad? I am twelve in a couple of months. She'll be okay for three minutes. No go out already; the bats are about to carry the cow off to their cave…"

Membrane laughed good-naturedly and ruffled Gaz's hair. It stayed in place, as usual... "Daughter, I know you mean well, but there is a reason why Dib is the eldest."

"Because he was born first?" Gaz asked.

"Exactly! By rules of nature, the oldest child must be left will all responsible duties while the home providers are away."

"Well what about when I'm sixteen and the baby's four?"

"Not even then!"

"But I'll be in hi-skool?"

"Did you not hear a thing of what I said, Gaz? Dib is the eldest, so by default all baby-sitting duties fall on him…"

"But what if… you know what, I don't care. I don't wanna be looking after some snotty four-year-old anyway when I'm in hi-skool. I'll be too busy getting drunk and pregnant, like the teenagers on TV!" Gaz tested her father next.

"Ha-ha, always my funny child!" Membrane ruffled her hair again. Gaz let it pass.

Dib finally entered the house. He talked to someone outside for a few seconds and shut the door. He came into the living room next to meet his angry father.

"And what time do you call this?!" Membrane demanded.

Dib looked at the clock shaped in his father's head. "Seven fifty nine?"

"Yes! Well done, son, you have failed to disappoint me. Now come along, honey, we have a dinner reservation to make."

She walked over to him and linked his arm, and then they were out the door.

"Goodbye, children!" their father called out as he left.

Dib rushed to the window and saw them leaving down the path. He looked for Tak. She was nowhere in sight. Zim was hidden safely in the bushes. Tak must be in there too, in a separate bush.

As soon as his dad was out of sight, Dib opened the door and dragged Zim inside the house. The alien was covered in leaves and twigs.

Gaz looked up, but she wasn't surprised in the least to see an unconscious Zim. It wouldn't be her first time…

"What happened to him?"

"He got caught up in a fight with a rotten, lying drunk," Dib replied.

"… We really shouldn't have left him alone, should we?" Gaz said next.

"I don't think we should of. You're gonna have to move off the couch. Zim needs somewhere to lie down until he wakes up."

Gaz got up without protest. Her show was over now anyway, as it hit the hour.

"Did you find Tak?" she asked.

"Um… yeah, it's a little weird. Gaz, she's _normal_ again…" Dib's eyes flashed for a brief moment, very disturbed.

"So where is she now?"

"Outside. I wouldn't let her come inside. I don't trust her to remain under control…"

"What's the worst she can do? I still have a can of poop in the fridge."

"I'm thinking of the baby; you know, our little sister, Gaz?"

"Fine…" Gaz went outside to see Tak. Why? Catching up with an old friend perhaps?

Dib watched her leave the room confused, but shrugged it off and placed Zim on the couch, wiping sweat off his forehead. The Irken was _heavy_. Dib had to put his PAK legs away carefully, lest they stabbed him in several places. It wasn't easy since they were stiff due to Zim's lack of consciousness, like the legs of a dead spider. Horrible comparison.

...

Tak moved out of the bushes, pulling a twig off her uniform as she went to sit on the front step. There she met those burning eyes of Gaz.

Tak startled, but soon relaxed once she saw it was her. Nothing to be afraid of.

"Oh, it's you… I guess I should have expected to see you."

Gaz never said a thing. She just stared at Tak.

"So… I heard you recently lost your status as youngest child. Congratulations. Middle child status is much better, I've heard…"

Gaz's eyes narrowed as she continued to glare at Tak.

"Are you going to say anything?"

Gaz looked her over next, and noticed the blisters on the back of her neck. They were healing pretty nicely. A smirk came over her face.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Don't you remember? I finally exacted my revenge on you…"

"What?"

"Feel your neck…" Gaz said.

Tak groped at her neck and winced. Her eyes lit up in realisation. "What did you do to me?"

"Why don't you figure that one out for yourself? Well, I'm going back inside. I'm starting to feel pretty _pooped_..."

"Am I supposed to take some hidden meaning from that last phrase?"

"I THREW POOP SODA ALL OVER YOU, AND THEN YOU BURNED LIKE IT WAS ACID RAIN!"

Things were quiet after that. A dog barked in the next house.

"You horrible child…" Tak growled. "Why exactly did you feel the need to exact revenge on me?!"

"You sucked out the magma of my planet. So you better not try anything this time. I'm watching you, _Tak_…"

Gaz gave her a few more intense stares, and then finally broke eye contact. Now she went back inside the house.

Who knew Gaz took Tak's mission to heart. Little did she know it was the fact that she had to get involved in the first place why she was mad. Kissing GIR was no fun.

Tak sighed and sat on the front step. Zim better hurry up and wake. There was a lot she wanted to discuss. She hoped she could remain Tak in the next hour, in case of another black out. She really couldn't remember a thing of her escape. Just vague memories like a dream.

...

Zim opened his eyes, and was met with the sight of Membrane's ceiling. Nothing too exciting there.

He groaned and put an arm over his eyes, and then groaned some more when he moved too quickly. There was a sharp, throbbing pain to his left shoulder. He looked down and saw the Irken dressing.

He sat up carefully, and saw those three figures. Two he recognised as Dib and Gaz, and the one to the back looking out the window was Tak.

"T… Tak!" Zim called out, wincing in pain.

She continued to look out the window, but her antennae flickered in his direction, like the ears of a horse swatting flies.

"You ignore Zim?!"

Tak seemed to be having some inner battle with herself, resisting the urge to turn around and answer him. Gaz thought she looked constipated, wondering if her face looked just as bad from the back.

"Tak, I didn't bring you all the way here just to stare out the window. Now face Zim like the viscous Irken you are!"

"All right, you don't have to yell. I am perfectly able to hear you, Dib."

Tak turned around, looking at everything but Zim. She finally fixed her eyes on him, before quickly glancing to the left again like a shy skool girl. Zim looked petrified. Who was this imposter Irken who looked like Tak, but failed to act just like her?

"Hey, Zim… what's up?" she said. She really wasn't herself; for one, she was using a high-pitched American accent, like the one she used for her disguise. Her powers of manipulation were wavering, as she was becoming some shy excuse of her former self.

"What is up with Zim?! Who are you? What have you done with Tak?!"

"I am Tak!" she yelled.

"No, you are someone else. Not Green Eyes in the least, but… you are not Tak, either. "

Tak turned silent.

Zim seemed to understand. "It's okay. I know you are Tak again. You don't have to convince Zim."

"Okay?" Tak asked. "It's okay that I can't even look my former enemy in the eye, but instead shy away like some stupid skool girl?!"

"Well at least you've finally nailed the 'skool-girl' act…" Dib said.

"I was always nailing it!"

Gaz pulled a face next. "Nailing sounds wrong. Stop saying it…"

Tak glared at her and then pulled on her antennae. "I just… I just don't know what is wrong with me anymore… I'm falling apart…"

Zim contemplated her sadly, and grimaced as he tried to pull himself up off the couch. He staggered on his feet and walked over to her.

"Tak… I won't ever forget what you did for me tonight..." he said.

Tak put her hands on her face and made a groaning sound. "Don't… save it, Zim."

"No, you will listen to Zim. Without your help, I'd be… I'd be... a dead version of myself…" Zim said, words failing him now. This really was awkward. It was hard to connect with Tak. And sure, the feeling was mutual...

Tak pulled her hands away from her eyes, and watched him strangely. "What?"

"Yes! Dead Zim! Zimmy Zim… gone… No more!"

Tak sighed and moved away from him. The space between them was already three feet apart. Now it was six.

"Okay, I think we've established Zim's near death experience, but why can't you two just talk to each other like normal people, or Irkens… How do Irkens normally converse?" Dib asked.

"Not like this, I can assure you," Tak replied. "I'd prefer it if we never mentioned this night again. It was just this once, Zim. Keeping you alive is the last thing I want to do…"

"So why did you do it?"

"Because I need you alive. Apparently, you seem to have developed some connection to the paranormal workings of this world, and… you may just be able to help with my illness…"

"You claim it was for a selfish reason, but I'll take it as a kind gesture…"

"Do as you please; it doesn't change the fact that I still hate you. You're an annoying little creature, Zim, though, unfortunately, we'll have... have to… work… _together_…" Tak looked like she just bit a lemon.

"Yes, we do…" Zim said, narrowing his eyes as he watched her heave back vomit, or that was what she was trying to do by the looks of it. How insulting. He should just leave her to suffer. But he won't. He's all about 'morals' now.

"Okay, then that's settled. Now don't we all feel better that we talked things through?" Dib clasped his hands together as if in anticipation of an answer, even though it was a rhetorical question.

"What are you now, some cheap therapist?" Gaz said.

Dib sighed. "I was just trying to make light of the situation. This is pretty awkward. Last time we were all together, we were inside of Tak's giant wiener stand."

"Whatever, I'm going to my room… This conversation is boring." Gaz left the room and stormed upstairs. She hardly noticed Tak bent over in discomfort. Not that she cared anyway.

Zim chuckled and put his good arm around Dib. "Heh, heh, such good times, hey, Dib. It flatters me that you remember our first connection as human boy and alien…"

"You threatened to feed my brains to your robot!"

"Such good times…" Zim repeated.

"So, what happened in the alley? What was Peter doing there?"

Zim let go of his shoulder as his face turned serious. "He was up to no good. Promise me, Dib, that you will never take to alcohol, like the rest of your kind. Not even when you are of age. Seeing what it can do to a human is terrifying… Peter probably was already a sociopath, but just promise me! Think of your sister!"

Zim was holding his shirt. Dib was getting taller, so they weren't on eye level anymore. It worried Zim. He had to make sure his human boy turned into a satisfactory adult.

"Which one, I have two now?"

"Your new one… she needs a good role model. Let's face it; Gaz will never fit that role."

"Okay, I promise… Now let go of my shirt. That's the second time an Irken has gripped my shirt today. Your claws are sharp…"

"Who –"

"Skoodge... It was Tak, Zim, who else?!"

"Oh…"

Dib turned pale as his eyes fell on the window where Tak was. Now he was the colour of a sheet.

Zim followed the direction of his gaze. His heart almost stopped.

"W-where is Tak?"

"That's exactly what I want to know!"

"She's probably outside. I wouldn't worry too much, Dib."

Dib considered what he said, but only for a second. He was up those stairs in a heartbeat, taking Zim by surprise.

"Wait –!"

Dib was already out of earshot. Zim ran after him. What was he doing? Tak wouldn't go up there. Would she?

...

The baby's eyes looked around the room, trying to focus on all the shapes around her. The world was finally coming into one, but it was still strange. Life so far seemed okay; she didn't know who or what she was yet. But she knew she was comfortable. That's all that mattered.

The door creaked open next. The baby stirred. One of the larger creatures had finally entered the room. Was she due another feed? She had only just opened her eyes.

She made a small sound as they neared. Her eyes met that larger creature at last. So far all the shapes and faces she had determined were not like this one. It had forward-facing eyes like the rest of them, but strange growths coming off its head. And that bright colour; the glow of it hurt her eyes.

She didn't like this shape as it glared down with those glowing eyes. It reached its hands into her cot next, and she felt sharp, cold hands pick her up.

It pulled her up to its face. Its glowing eyes hurt hers, as she cried out for it to stop.

It started to speak. Its voice was soothing, but unfamiliar. Was she supposed to feel comforted, or afraid?

"Don't cry little Smeet, I'm not going to hurt you… yet… Ugly little creature, aren't you? So weak and vulnerable… Disgusting…"

Next, the baby emitted a high-pitched wail, and the creature stirred as those glowing eyes disappeared. Now they were a soft colour again, as large, shiny orbs stared back.

Tak found herself in another room, holding a plump, fleshy baby. Its sound grated on her antennae, but she held it in her arms frozen.

The door opened, and there was Dib.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Dib was about to run towards her, until Zim stopped him by grabbing his shoulder.

"Dib, don't… it's fine. Look at her eyes…"

"I don't care; she's not supposed to be up here! Why is she holding Rae?!"

"She's in shock. Just stay here, I'll handle it."

Dib silently gave in, and put all his trust in Zim. How could he let two aliens near his baby sister?

"What's happening? What… what is _she_ doing in the baby's room?!" Gaz appeared next, looking as angry as Dib. No one lays a finger on her kin.

"It's okay, Zim has this under control… well, he better …" Dib was glaring at both Irkens. This was so wrong. How could he allow this?

Zim approached Tak carefully. The baby had stopped crying now as it looked up at Tak with its small, dark eyes.

"Tak, pass me the baby. It's okay; there is nothing to fear."

Tak looked at him next, but her eyes went right through his.

"I… I don't know… what…"

"I know, Zim understands. Now please pass me the human Smeet."

Tak glanced down at the baby again. Its eyes were like shiny marbles, as it watched her too. She broke down next. "I don't know what came over me. Was I… _hurting_ it?" She almost sounded concerned. Dib watched her stunned.

"No, she's fine. Give Zim the baby," Zim ordered now, losing his patience.

Tak passed her over and rushed out the room. Zim had no idea what to do with the baby, as he met her gaze. He at least knew to hold her head. She was making small squeaking sounds.

"Here, I believe this is yours…" Zim put the baby in Dib's arms, and ran after Tak.

"She's not invited here anymore. Make sure she stays far away from my house, Zim!" Dib called out. Any admiration he had for Tak was now replaced with fear. She was just a monster waiting to explode…

Zim never answered him as he reached the bottom step. Tak was already out the door.

He ran out the yard and then onto the sidewalk to see Tak moving down the street. He caught up with her just in time with his PAK legs. Tak was on foot.

"Tak, stop!" He jumped in front of her as she bumped into him.

"Move out of my way!" she yelled.

"But where are you going?" he asked.

Tak wasn't even sure. "I don't know… I needed to get away from there. This was a mistake… I shouldn't have come to Dib's house…" She placed her hands on her face again.

Zim didn't know what to say. Was she crying? Her eyes were glistening in the street lamp before.

He moved his hand over to her shoulder and placed it there gently. Tak stiffened as she turned to glare at his arm.

Zim moved his hand again. That was a big mistake.

"It's all right. I know you wouldn't have hurt the baby…"

"You think that's what I'm worried about?! Something is wrong with me, and I'm terrified. This… this _spirit_ is taking over me…"

"Well that much is obvious, but not if we stop her first. Now come… come back with me to the base. I promise I won't lock you up. The Tallest don't have to know of this. You're safe…"

"I don't care for them…"

Zim looked to the ground. "Me neither…"

Tak stared at him at that remark. "You… Zim, don't care for the _Tallest _anymore?"

"Well what have they ever done for me?" he asked.

Tak was speechless.

"There may just be hope for you yet, Zim. It seems you've finally woken up…"

"Yes, and it's my clear, level-head that is going to help you get through your ordeal. Now let's get to the base."

Zim marched off. Tak had no other choice but to follow. Though this was a whole new side to Zim that she never knew existed.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know I said last week that I wasn't sure when I'd next update, but keep an eye out for me. I doubt I'll be able to write something within the next week, but we'll see what happens. The novel is still being written. Half of a page is done already :)**

**I should point out Tak's odd behaviour in the alley; she is not stoned per se. It just appears that way, as I did it as an inside joke. You can't exactly get stoned from residual scents of marijuana. If you are in the same room as someone smoking it, you may go a little giggly. As I'm told by those who have smoked it. I personally can't stand smoking of all kinds, because I'm a goody two shoes.**

**The only thing making her crazy is the alley itself. It does strange things to her mind.**

**Only Gaz has twenty three of the Professor's chromosomes. Dib will have Membrane's exact set of chromosomes, all forty six, since he's his clone. So that would be Membrane's parents genes. Dib never technically had a biological mother. All of Membrane's genetic information was placed in a female's reproductive cell as it grew as a fertilised egg would. The same woman who hosted Membrane's genetic information in her egg is Gaz's biological mother. That's where she gets her twenty three other chromosomes. She was conceived in vitro. That's why she doesn't like the word 'petri dish'.**

**Rae of course was conceived naturally, as nature intended.**

**All of this is just my own information for the sake of this fanfiction. Not canon in the slightest. **

**This may be interesting to point out. Here it goes... Clairvoyance takes place in 2052. I pretty much picture that the valentines day episode with Tak happened in the February of that year. That episode aired in 2002 in our world, fifty years before Clairvoyance takes place. Tak mentioned that fifty years prior to the episode was when Zim ruined her life and caused the blackout, thus ruining her chances of becoming an Invader. So in these fanfiction series, that incident took place in 2002 when the episode aired. I love how that works out. It was unintentional.**

**So, I guess this is goodbye... for now.**


End file.
